Little Butterfly
by Trepidatious.Musings
Summary: They had everything in life, except life itself. A little miracle will brighten up Carlisle and Esme's lives, as the expression of their love comes to life in this POST Breaking Dawn fic.
1. Prologue

**Little Butterfly**

_Summary: _They had everything in life, except life itself. A little miracle will brighten up Carlisle and Esme's lives, as the expression of their love comes to life in this POST Breaking Dawn fic.

_**Beautiful banner by Mackenzie L.**__ i4. photobucket albums /y113 /Alexanastasia /LittleButterfly .jpg_

_**First:**__ This is the 1st time I venture with such complex and unexplored characters, so corrections are welcome. Carlisle and Esme are my new challenge._

_**Second:**__ I've always liked the way the Cullens live as a family that's why, and although they have the little cottage Esme decorated for them, Edward, Bella and Renesmee will spend most of the time in Carlisle's and Esme's house._

_**Third:**__ This story is set right after Breaking Dawn. So Renesmee will be 4 months old, this is aprox. a 5 or 6 year older in human years._

_**Fourth: The first four chapters of this story are not beta-ed.**_

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**PROLOGUE**

She climbed.

She climbed swiftly up the trees just the way she did when she was a human. Of course, it was easier now, and there was no chance of her breaking a leg the way she did as a teenager.

It was an old ritual she knew so well, and enjoyed so much. She taught her adoptive sons and daughters how to admire the world this way. The youngest, Edward, had given it the ideal use when taking his dear Bella out.

The gentle breeze blew against Esme's face, her cascading hair flew softly as she stood among the branches at the top of one of the highest pines in the forest; admiring the breathtaking view. The orange popsicle colors of the sunset were shinning against the silvery snow that crowned the magnificent mountains.

"You know?" Carlisle moved up the tree to stand close by her side "I think you might be getting faster."

She turned to look at him. A mischievous smile drawn on her beautiful face.

"You know, no one can't beat me on tree-climbing."

"Definitely, not." Carlisle smiled as well, tenderly he drew her close to him; his arms embraced her delicate figure.

He enjoyed her closeness for a moment, breathing the sweet perfume of her hair. That particular perfume, the one that turned his world upside down since the very first time they met, and still had that powerful effect after almost a hundred years later.

"It's so beautiful." Her golden eyes locked on the horizon.

"Yes, indeed." Carlisle was still absorbed on her. His lips tried to find the back of her neck.

"You're not even looking!" She laughed softly, feeling a trail of soft little kisses on her nape.

"I am…" He smiled. "I'm just looking at another beauty…One that is mine." His words were almost a whisper. "One that I deeply love..."

Simple words with such a powerful significance, _how not to resist?_ Esme turned around to wrap her arms around his neck, she had that beautiful, unique smile still drawn on her face. Her gaze locked on his, on those sincere lovely eyes that always cared for her.

"I love you, Carlisle."

He timidly smiled, drawing Esme even closer to him.

Their bodies touched completely, as he tilted his head to brush his lips lightly on hers, and then capture them in a gentle kiss. They loved each other so deeply and they were going to; for the rest eternity...

A sudden change in the breeze called their attention interrupting their moment as a large uneven shadow passed them by as fast as the wind. Branches and leaves shuddered at its pass.

And then an awkward silence took over the surroundings.

Quiet, with their acute senses extremely aware, Carlisle and Esme looked towards the end of the invisible path the shadow had followed. A brief second later, giggles began to echo around them.

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_This is just the beginning. What do you have in mind? What do you think I have in mind? Oh, I have to confess that I absolutely love cliffhangers!_

_Thanks for reading._


	2. I Wouldn't Bet Against Alice

_Thank you so much for your reviews and comments! Carlisle and Esme are really hard to write, so your comments are a super motivation! _

_This and next chapter –which is already finished, are going to be more Cullen family oriented but are VERY important, and clue to the rest of the story._

**CHAPTER I**

**I Wouldn't Bet Against Alice**

**Two Years Earlier…**

Quietly sitting at the desk in his study under the dim light of an antique lamp, Carlisle closed the book he was reading. It was a peaceful night, and the first one free after a long week of nightshifts at the hospital.

Silence ruled over the Cullen house; silence he knew wasn't going to last for long, not in a house of eight...nine including him.

His eyes travelled across the room to the feminine figure of sweet demeanor that was sitting close to the fireplace. Esme's delicate hands were carefully embroidering the linen on her lap.

He smiled.

No matter how long they had lived, the money they had, or the fact that she could buy the most exquisite things she wanted; she loved to restore everything herself. It was just like when they first started living together and she would insist on mending his and Edward's clothes. She was such a case. She still was.

Knowing his eyes were on her, Esme stopped her work to meet his gaze.

And they both smiled at each other.

It was one of those moments in which they would simply enjoy each other's presence in silence. She made a little space for him on the big armchair that seemed to engulf her small figure. The 'indestructible armchair' as Emmett would call it, since it was one of the pieces of furniture Carlisle and Esme had since the 'beginning of time' and would use to 'squeeze' against each other while talking, reading and '_God knows what else_' according to Edward's words.

Carlisle rose from his seat to join her in a tender snuggle, which she then gently parted to continue her handicraft. Nights like this were absolutely precious to him; together, alone, was something he cherished. Comfy, he placed his arm around her shoulders as she focused on the enchanting art of drawing a tulip with a needle and a thread.

"And this one is for…?" He asked, his fingers traced the already sewed pattern.

"Our bed." Esme smiled knowing that he knew it was the third linen she had embroidered in the week though the first two were for Renesmee.

"It's good to know our bed is still in your list." He playfully commented, but the connotation in the sentence was obvious.

"Oh, Carlisle." She turned to look at him, her hands involuntarily wrinkled the linen with embarrassing guilt. Nessie had completely absorbed her attention ever since she was born, making Esme neglect her husband, and what in an old fashioned way would be called 'wife's duty'.

"I'm joking." He let out a soft laugh. "But…" He tightened his embrace around her to whisper into her ear. "Maybe later we can…" His breath tickled her softly. She smiled knowing well what his proposal was going to be, but something interrupted his words.

Unexpectedly, their eyes went to look up the ceiling; their particular perception announced that their little moment was about to be disturbed. Voices increasing their sound began to come down the hall towards the study. Their adoptive kids were 'exchanging ideas', something that somehow was becoming louder and louder.

It was interesting. They both once wondered, if they were ever going to be able to build a place they would call home; questioning if it was possible for someone of their kind to have a family and now...Carlisle chuckled as his exceptional hearing perceived a "_Let's see what Carlisle is going to say._" from a very mad Rosalie.

"Ready?" He asked Esme, who was already leaving the linen to a side.

"Absolutely."

As if by magic the door of the study was suddenly open; Rosalie and Alice appeared standing right in front of them. Emmett and Jasper behind them, and on the back, leaning against the doorframe with his usual sardonic smile was Edward.

"Carlisle," Rosalie crossed her arms above her chest. "Tell them that going to Romania is dangerous."

"It's the legendary crib of Cold Ones, babe." Emmett babed her.

Alice shook her head in reassurance. "Nothing bad is going to happen, I saw it."

"Yeah, It's not like the Romanian coven is going to attack us" Emmett sat on a futon. "We're nine, they're two and we have super powers, Kitty"

_Kitty. _Rosalie gave him that killer look that would make anyone want to dig its own grave in advance. "If the Volturi know that we are visiting Romania, they're going to think we're up to something with the Romanian Coven; they would love to find any reason to sweep all the family away."

"She's got a point." Jasper went to sit on an old armchair.

Carlisle leaned forward on his seat trying to process the information he had just received in a slap. "What did you exactly saw Alice? Any particular reason of why Romania?"

Alice opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again. There was no exact reason. She simply had a vision of the family in Romania. She shrugged. "I just saw us there, spending some quality time together… but I felt it was important."

"We can always spend some quality time together on Isle Esme". Edward interrupted, his mouth turned into a lopsided grin.

"Yeah, totally." Bella walked into the room to join her family. "Isle Esme: good." She bit her lower lip recalling how delightful Isle Esme was on their honeymoon.

"If Alice saw us there and it's important, then we should go." Esme looked at her husband. As long as all the family was together, she would be happy. "We could use some vacations… plus, Romania has gorgeous castles that might need restoration." She playfully winked an eye at him.

"But Alice has been wrong before; no offense Alice." Rosalie turned to look at her sister to then face Carlisle and Esme again. "And you can both get a castle anywhere in the world."

"Nope, not in Volterra, Rose." Edward added simply to annoy his sister.

Emmett snorted.

"Would you please shut up, Edward?" Rosalie was beginning to lose it.

"But I felt it was important." Alice insisted with her soft sweet voice. "I wouldn't lead us to danger."

"And I wouldn't bet against Alice." Edward shrugged before Rosalie started to chase him all over the study.

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_Thanks a lot for reading! :)_


	3. The Romanian Caravan

_Note: This is going to be a strange chapter, but it's important. The good thing is that we'll go back to Forks after this one and everything will go back to normal…maybe._

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**Chapter II**

**The Romanian Caravan**

They walked down the old picturesque, narrow streets of a small medieval town in the surrounds of Bucharest. It was a beautiful place where the time seemed to stop somewhere between the sixteenth and eighteenth century. White wooden houses finished with bluish roof tiles, stoned pavements, and a breathtaking forest surrounding it, completed a town that seemed to have been taken out of one of the portraits Carlisle had in his study.

"Aw, this is so romantic! Isn't it Edward?" Emmett elbowed his very amused young brother, trying to annoy Bella.

Rosalie burnt him with her expression. She was still against them being in Romania. "Could you at least try to scan the future, Alice?" She was a bit exasperated with the idea that something dangerous would envelop all the family, and they were all taking it lightly.

"Alice?" Jasper interrupted the moment. The family stopped to look at her; Alice was suddenly immersed in a vision. Her beautiful eyes were lost in the scenes running in her mind. I took her a few seconds to regain self-control.

"What did you see?" Carlisle adjusted little Renesmee in his arms.

"It was strange. I saw what it seemed to be a gypsy market and...I'm not sure." She frowned as her eyes began to study Esme's slender figure from head to toe, especially pausing at her midsection. "Esme?" Alice seemed perplexed. "I'm sorry if I'm asking you this." Edward already knew what was going to be asked, it was a good thing to be a mind-reader. "When you were a human...your baby," Alice hesitated. "Was he a boy?"

Esme was puzzled by the question. The story was well known in the family and Alice knew the baby had indeed been a boy. "Yes." Her answer was almost a whisper.

Carlisle wrapped one of his arms around her shoulders to tenderly embrace her. He knew how strenuous had been that part of her human life. Nessie just nestled her head on his shoulder, watching intently Esme's expression of confusion and melancholy.

"It's been so long." Esme took a deep breath trying to forget. "Why?"

"Sorry, I think I'm watching your past…and gypsies." Alice shook her head trying to blow away the uncertainty of her vision.

Nessie stretched her arm to touch Esme's face. "Be happy." She said, passing on with her touch the happy moments they had both spent together. One of them; when she gave Nessie her second favorite silverware to play with …and destroy.

Esme couldn't help but smile.

They resumed their walk in silence. To Carlisle's happiness Esme was now entertained at Nessie's wonderful touch of memories. Edward and Bella exchanged a few smiles recognizing how much Renesmee meant to Carlisle and Esme; how much the little girl meant to everyone in the family as she was the only way they could all have a child.

"This is where I saw us." Alice clasped Jasper's arm with excitement, nodding towards a large group of Romanian caravans in the forest. Jasper smiled too, knowing how happy she was whenever her visions were accurate.

"Rainy." Nessie told Carlisle and Esme, mist came out of her lips as she pointed up to sky. It was indeed about to rain anytime soon, but since Alice hadn't said a word about it, they continued walking.

"It's a market; I saw a Gypsy market!" Alice applauded with excitement. "Let's get some souvenirs."

"And that's why it was so important to come to Romania." Esme whispered.

"To go shopping." Carlisle whispered back. Little Nessie giggled.

"Hey, I heard that." Alice complained.

"We know." Her parents replied in unison.

"If we go there, we'll turn into the souvenirs." Jasper eyed the entrance to the caravan market with suspicion. His years of experience had told him that gypsies were not to trust.

"Right, what was the way gypsies killed vampires?" Emmett pretended he didn't remember.

"They stabbed iron needles through their hearts, forced bricks into their mouths once they were corpses..." Edward began to count. "The best one; dismembered the body and burnt the parts, now, that's familiar!" He chuckled.

"Edward..." Bella nudged him. "Look," She stopped walking and so did the rest of the family. "If it's so dangerous to go in there, then we should better go back."

"It's not truly dangerous, gypsies are humans." Carlisle spoke. "Edward was just being..."

"…pointlessly illustrative." Esme completed his sentence.

Edward chuckled. "Alright, but if you end up with iron needles in the heart, don't said I didn't told you so."

The market was crowded; there were sellers and shoppers all over the place. It seemed to be the most assorted market in the world; every caravan-stand had something different for sale: from pots, carpets, vases to fine jewelry, beautiful fabrics and to the Cullen boys delight, there was a small parking lot with around twenty vintage cars. They immediately headed to it, leaving the girls behind.

"Go with them." Carlisle told Esme nodding towards Alice, Bella and Rosalie. "I think we might need another car."

"You're hopeless." Esme laughed softly.

"Hopeless." Nessie waved her little finger at him.

The Cullen girls started to look around for interesting things. Alice, Bella and Rosalie were easily stunned with a stand filled with beautiful jewelry. Esme on the other hand, began to wander around the carpets, vases and homemade decorations that were being sold not so far away from the jewelry stand. She kept walking and walking, losing track of time while looking for things to embellish their home…until she noticed someone following her. She made a couple of casual stops in two stands to make sure she was being traced, and though she hadn't seen by who, she could hear the human steps ceasing at the times she stopped.

She took a deep breath before brusquely turning around, and to her surprise; two children were right behind her. It was a sad view; both, a girl and a boy were poorly dressed. They looked cold, and hungry. One of them slowly extended a little hat. "Would you please help us with a coin, pretty lady?"

Esme was completely touched. She bent down to get on eye level with them, smiling softly. "Are you hungry?"

Both kids nodded.

"Come here." As only Esme would do, she bought the children food and she was about to give them more than a coin each, when a thunder echoed all over the place. The people in the market quickly began to put away their goods as a very strong rain began to fall mercilessly on them. Esme removed her thick trench coat, to place it with no hesitation on the kids, who looked at each other stunned by her random act of kindness.

She began to look around her for Alice, Bella and Rosalie but it was hard to tell where they were. It was strange because she couldn't even perceive their scents.

"Miss." The boy began to pull gently at her sleeve. "Come."

"I can't, I have to look for my family." She said still trying to look amongst the people in front of her.

"Come, dry place." The little girl started to pull her too...and to be true, the rain was so heavy that Esme wasn't able to take it anymore, so she allowed the children to lead her.

They took her to what it seemed to be an abandoned gypsy caravan. The children urged her in. It was dry inside, but definitely cold for humans, even despite the many candles that were lit inside. A shadow in a corner of the trailer moved closer to her under the dim lights. Esme's body stiffened when she saw a very old woman with fully black eyes scrutinizing her. Her hair was grey and messy, and she was dressed in rags. Her appearance would have made a Volturi appear a joke. The children immediately went to the old woman and whispering excited in another language, they showed her the coins, food, and coat Esme had given them.

It took Esme only a second to realize that the woman wasn't just an old lady. The trailer was filled with herbs, sticks, skulls, dead animals and bottles of what they seemed to be tonics. "I'm sorry. I have to go." She suddenly blurted out.

"Wait." The old woman slowly approached her to take a better look. Esme gave a step back uneasy.

"You're a Cold One." She whispered, slowly approaching her.

"Please," Esme lifted her hands as if trying to stop her from coming closer. "I'll just go and..."

She examined Esme a bit more, particularly the bracelet she was wearing; the one Carlisle had given her before they married. It had the Cullen crest engraved. }

Uncomfortable, Esme subtly hid it up her sleeve.

"No." The woman looked away, pensive. "It is tradition." She spoke with heavy accent. "You gave these children something, I must give you something in return. Then you leave."

Esme shook her head. "No really, I don't expect..."

"Rejecting is an offense." The woman eyed her as she quickly rummaged between the herbs and bottles filled with rare liquids. Esme sighed. She looked out a small window as she waited. The rain was getting weaker. She believed Carlisle and the rest of the family were definitely looking for her by that time.

Esme observed as the gipsy poured liquid into a wooden bowl, and walked across the small space to get something from under the floor boards; a metal box. She carried it with care, as if holding something precious, and opened it before Esme; who looked at the content with curiosity. It was filled with tiny white leaves. "Your kindness I give you three times in return." She told her and then turned to sprinkle the leaves in the bowl.

As soon as she was done, she gave Esme the wooden bowl. "Eat."

Esme looked at her with hesitancy, but nonetheless, took the vessel in her hands. She didn't want to argue with the woman, besides, food couldn't harm people of her kind. Not at all.

"Eat, eat." The woman urged her.

She gathered all her inner strength to pick up the mashed thing in the bowl and put it in her mouth. It didn't taste as bad as it looked; it felt sweet. It was a shock, ever since Esme was turned into a vampire food had no taste to her, but this…

"What is this?" She gulped the first bit.

"You don't ask." The woman watched carefully Esme's movements. "You finish, and then you go with family."

Esme looked back at her. How could the woman know she was with her family? She took a generous amount of the stuff in the bowl and ate it until there was nothing left. She finally placed it on the table, desperately wanting to leave the caravan as soon as possible.

"Now you go." The woman urged her out the door of the wagon, almost pushing her out. It was a good thing because a sudden rush of fear took over Esme. She had broken the family rule by being alone in a strange place; exposing herself. Her instincts finally reacted and she sprinted away from that place until she brusquely collided against someone.

"Esme!" Carlisle wrapped his arms around her. "Where were you?" He breathed into her hair, absolutely worried.

Esme suddenly felt safe again.

"Don't ever do this to us again!" Rosalie exhaled while the rest of the family joined them relieved. "For minutes we thought the worse had happened!"

"Not even Renesmee would walk away this way." Alice added. "You're soaking wet…Are you okay?"

Esme looked confused and a little startled.

"Where is your coat?" Carlisle took off his, and placed it protectively on her shoulders.

"I'm fine. It's a long story." Esme looked at her concerned family. "I just want us to go home."

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Again, thanks a lot for reading!


	4. Playing Rudies

_Thank you for your posts and messages! I appreciate every single one a lot. To those who write here, I will be giving you a review soon too. I just started to read more Carlisle and Esme fanfics, so any good recommendations are welcomed too._

_Anyhow, let's go to the main issue, I forgot how complicated is to write a fic with more than 1 chapter, I handle one shots better...gosh, I've gotten into a big one, still I'll try to do my best. Here we go:_

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**CHAPTER III**

**Playing Rudies**

Carlisle paced on the ivory carpeted floor of their bedroom. The house was quiet again but this time it was for a different reason. After her particular experience, Esme pressured everyone to fly back home immediately, forcing the family to leave open the query to the vision Alice had of them in Romania. They hadn't found anything, instead and after listening to her side of the story, Carlisle thought they almost lost someone.

"You know the rule." He stopped pacing to look at her; his gaze couldn't have been more severe.

"I do, Carlisle." She said with honesty as she turned her back to him to open the bed, the day had been too long and her bones were feeling strangely weary. She moved the soft silky cushions against the headboard and immediately allowed her back to rest against them. "I saw no danger…" She sighed pulling her knees up her chest, her body hadn't feel that way since the day they confronted the Volturi months earlier. "They were only children." She tried to justify herself but the true was that she did wrong.

His gaze softened. Her loving heart pushed her to do something she'd never thought could put her in danger. Slowly, he went to sit by her side.

"You were lost for twenty-seven minutes." He reached to take one of her hands and she clasped it in a loving hold. "They were the longest twenty-seven minutes of my life…and I've lived a lot." His eyes showed apprehension as he recollected the moment. "We couldn't sense you at all, Edward couldn't see your thoughts, Alice had no visions of your location, we couldn't even track you...you really gave us a good scare."

"I couldn't sense you either, it was strange…" She recalled.

"Esme…" He didn't want to change the subject.

Esme moved up closer to nestle her head against his shoulder, she never meant to cause him and the family such distress. "I'm so sorry."

His arms enfolded her.

They remained silent, gone in each other's embrace for what it seemed an eternity. The incredible sense of refuge and safeness they gave to each other was unique; their bond was strong, indescribable. There was no feeling on Earth like it and nothing existed in the world that could replace it.

_Nothing._

If she died, he would follow her and so if he did. The sole thought of it happening shattered Carlisle's heart.

"I couldn't bear the thought of losing you, Esme." He breathed into her hair. His words echoed in her soul. She pulled apart to meet his eyes and there was nothing else that could be seen in them except love; true, deep love. Slowly, she lifted her hand to place it tenderly on his face, her fingers caressed his smooth skin.

"Do you know how much I love you?" She tilted her head to a side, a sweet smile was shining on her face, one that revealed the genuine love he knew she had for him. His dear Esme was all love, and all his.

He smiled a little, the way he used to do in moments like that. "Tell me again..."

Esme laughed softly. "Come here..." And in a rapid movement, she tilted her head up to touch his lips with hers, in a quick playful kiss.

"Don't do this to me." He laughed as she pulled away with a spirited mischievous smile.

"Forget it Carlisle, Nessie is in the house." Esme pulled away even further until he trapped her between the headboard and his body. Carlisle couldn't help but to hold her wrists with his distinctive strength. He chuckled knowing that she was never going to be able to free herself.

"Carlisle! She's going to listen!" She giggled trying to escape but his lips were already wandering along the contour of her face, tracing its path to capture her lips one more time. Slowly she surrendered to his touch and this time, it was a kiss that promised to last the rest of the night. Freeing her hands but never her lips, Carlisle allowed his fingers to trace the low neckline of her delicate nightgown, tentatively looking for that particular section of her garment he knew so well. Once under his touch, he began to undo the lace cord ribbon of the front with timeless skill.

Without doubt, it was going to be one of those long nights and a very well deserved one, for ever since Edward and Bella's wedding they hadn't had a time for themselves. Greedily and content, they were going to take the hours of darkness for themselves, until dawn- until the first light of the morning intruded through the windows...

Until both of them caught the glimpse of a shadow by the corner of their eyes…

"Are you going to play rudies too?" Renesmee stood at the door of their room looking like a spectrum of the night in her gauzy nightgown.

Startled and completely caught off guard, Carlisle and Esme broke apart, interrupting what what turned into the briefest moment of passion in their lives.

"What did you just say?" Carlisle tried with difficulty to process Nessie's question and so did Esme, whose fingers were tying back the ribbon of her nightgown with awkward discretion.

"Emmet and Rosalie said they were..." Nessie went to stand by the end of the bed.

They looked embarrassed at each other. For being a girl who had been born four months earlier she was extremely quick, innocent; but quick.

"Come here..." Esme patted the bed. Her and Carlisle's special time together had to be postponed at least until Renesmee was asleep, or similar. Something they agreed by exchanging defeated glances.

They moved to make a little space for her to crawl in with them.

"Is the rest still in the forest?" Carlisle pulled the covers on them.

Nessie nodded. "They're telling spooky legends to make my momma shudder." Her big eyes flew from Carlisle to Esme, to then ask: "Did you ground her?"

"I was about to…" Carlisle tried to suppress a smile at the casual double meaning he gave to the question.

Renesmee fixed her eyes on Esme. What happened the day before wasn't funny to her. She saw fear in the eyes of her family when Esme vanished in Romania, eyes that never held in mind what the loss of their maternal figure could mean. "I was afraid." She suddenly said. "I was afraid I would never see you again." Her perfect vocabulary sometimes hidden by the use of her vivid projections was being used at its best in that moment, but words never were enough. Again, Nessie touched Esme's face, reflecting the image of when she first saw her: Esme's eyes were filled with utter love as she held her dearly the day she was born. The image turned darker and only Esme's voice could be heard; a voice that stated her protection to Bella and 'the baby'.

Nessie loved Esme even before they had met. She snuggled against her. "You are our Momma." She breathed into her chest.

Completely touched, Esme held her tightly. "I'm so sorry." She whispered on the top of her head. For a second she met Carlisle's gaze and he couldn't agree anymore.

She was the mother of the family. Her presence was not only important, but needed.

"It was irresponsible and I won't do it again." Her fingers caressed Nessie's long bronze-colored curls. "I promise."

Content with the promise, Renesmee pulled apart to give Esme a big smile that soon turned into a frown, when she spotted Esme's wrists. Her eyes fixed on the greenish spots that contrasted with Esme's snow-white skin. "You have bruises."

Puzzled, Carlisle got closer to take a look. "Impossible."

Esme frowned at the vision too. They were in the place where he had grabbed her a moment earlier while playing.

In silence, Carlisle took her arms to examine them closer. "Tell me if it hurts." Gently, he pressed his fingers on them and the bruises disappeared under his touch.

Esme shook her head in denial, stroking her wrists. "They must have been spots."

"This is what we're going to do to take care of your bruises." Renesmee interrupted with an irresistible tone of voice. "Pop will tell a story about his travels across Europe, we'll listen until I'm asleep and then you'll watch me sleep through the rest of the night like we always do." She smiled. If there was something Nessie absolutely loved was listening to Carlisle and Esme's stories as part of her homeschool sessions. It was better than math with Jasper, or world fashion history with Alice and Rosalie.

They both chuckled.

"Deal." Carlisle agreed. "But once you're asleep we'll take you to your bed so Mommy Esme and I can play..." He tripped over his words before finishing the sentence. "…Backgammon." He awkwardly blurted out.

Esme raised an eyebrow at him. _Backgammon_…

Content but extremely tired, Nessie snuggled against the pillows and closed her eyes waiting for her story. Fortunately, to Carlisle and Esme's luck soon her waiting melted into a dream.

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_And yes, I agree my grammar is messy: I was raised under 3 languages and until now I'm struggling with that._

_One more time, thanks for reading. My work is always for you... I'll try to update sooner next time._

_Happy Sunday!_


	5. Backgammon

_After 67 fl oz. of Coke and a pretty good dose of Carlisle & Esme for inspiration (2 fanfics, 3 Youtube fanvids and 5 interviews…btw, they should interview Elizabeth and Peter together more often) I finally finished this chapter._

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**CHAPTER IV**

**Backgammon**

As predicted, the bright sun intruded through the large windows of their bedroom the next morning. The sole idea of having to leave the warmth of their intimate embrace was extremely disappointing; it was already a little difficult for them to find a moment alone for themselves when surrounded by a large family, especially when it had significantly grown with the addition of two daughters: Bella and Renesmee.

Interruptions where a night and day thing, since the night was like the day to all of them. Even though Carlisle and Esme never slept, whenever they could, they would spend the nights in bed. It was a habit the had ever since they were married. Sometimes they would talk all night; conversing, laughing or even arguing. Others they would simply lie together, enjoying each other's presence; closing their eyes to daydream their plans for the everlasting future…and there were times when they would make love; times like the night before. They would witness the breaking dawn turn into a new day with their bodies entwined under the soft bed linens, holding each other lovingly; protectively and just like the night when they first loved each other; there would be so much love; love as immortal as them.

She tried with difficulty to look over his shoulder at the wooden clock standing across their room, but it was a difficult task when trapped under his body. Esme sighed deeply as he nuzzled her neck, delighting himself in the perfume of her alabaster skin. His arms folded generously around her.

"Carlisle..." She smiled, trying to release herself from his embrace but it was impossible. Not only was she the slowest in the family, but also the least strong among them too. Tickling Carlisle was a good option in this case, even biting him, but it was hard to do such a thing when he was lavishing her in kisses.

_Who would resist?_

His lips were making their way down her throat to the center of her collarbone when he felt Esme's hands trying hard to find a spot to tickle him. Anticipating the struggle, he tickled her first.

She laughed hard, twisting in his embrace. "Carlisle we have to wake up!"

"We are awake, Mrs. Cullen…" Gently, he managed to part her legs with a knee.

_She was doomed._

Giving up, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "We can't stay locked up in this room all day long."

Carlisle gave her a playful smile. "Can't we?" He ran his palm under the covers and invitingly, caressed the smooth curves of the side of her body. His intense gaze locked with hers, waiting for permission for his imminent next move.

It had always been this way, he would silently ask her before making her, his.

Unlike during her human days, she was asked, allowed to enjoy a pleasure she hadn't known, and the most important; she was loved and cherished. Softly, Esme reached to brush the strands of golden hair falling on his forehead. His eyes were filled with passion. He wanted her and she wanted him too, there was no doubt… and so she lifted her head to touch his lips with hers. That was it. Without any hesitation, he took her; body and soul.

And then nothing else mattered.

**o)O(o**

Carlisle pressed his lips against her forehead, and she felt him smile against her skin. "We should elope to the Isle." He murmured, his fingers ran through her long caramel colored hair, passion was still running through his veins. He knew they could keep continue their lovemaking, but given the circumstances; twice in a day was far more than rewarding for them. Carlisle was blissfully happy and so was Esme; they were still lying together in bed during what it seemed to be the longest, and quietest morning, after a very long time.

Esme closed her eyes, snuggling against his chest; allowing her body to rest in his arms.

_Rest. _

Even though she hadn't noticed, she was exhausted. "We should." She certainly approved his proposal, though her words could barely be understood. She was suddenly drifting off to sleep.

"What are you doing?" Carlisle chuckled, thinking she was teasing him.

She smiled, making herself even more comfortable in his arms. None of them recognized her curious state.

The well-known morning sounds began to reach their ears; opening doors, quick steps, familiar voices gathering in the kitchen. Bella's laughter, Alice's giggles, Rosalie being all cranky; rummaging the once unused cooking pots and pans in the kitchen. Emmett was teasing Edward in the TV room, Nessie's beating heart could be felt wandering in the dining room. A second later, Jasper's peaceful voice was heard trying to keep Edward from knocking out Emmett.

"I never imagined it would be this way." Esme whispered, her eyes were still closed.

And he knew what she was talking about. The joy of having a family; one that drove them nuts, but that also gave both of them so much joy.

A disturbing thump followed by a horrible crack of wood was heard all over the house. Immediately, Alice's silvery bell-like voice tinkled against the glass walls.

"You guys just ruined the Louis XVI! Esme is going to be so upset!"

"Lord..." Esme moaned._ Her table._ Her eyes fluttered opened.

Carlisle buried his amusement on the top of her head. "I will get you another one." He whispered.

Renesmee's delicious; contagious laughter, apparently caused by the scene of her dad and Emmett destroying the antiquity, stole their attention. It was the most beautiful thing. A child in the house, living with them, looking up especially at the two them. It was something unusually wonderful.

"I never imagined her either." Esme spoke soflty.

Carlisle agreed. "Her presence is refreshing."

They remained quiet for just a few seconds. "Sometimes I wish we could..." She bit her lower lip before continuing, maybe it wasn't a subject they should touch in that moment. He held her even closer knowing the thoughts running in her mind. They had spoken about it many times before and the fruitless conversation was always one filled with sadness and resignation. It was no worth to undergo through the same grim talk.

The sounds of the boys picking up the broken pieces of wood reached their ears, the rest seemed to be helping them too, though Rosalie sounded amused. "You're going to be ashes when she comes down."

Carlisle chuckled, "I think we're fortunately settled." He kissed her temple. Esme couldn't agree anymore, they truly were. And although trying to keep 'the kids' under control was a challenge; even more considering their nature, their family was complete and it was more than perfect.

"We definitely are." She sweetly nuzzled his nose. Smiling, he kissed her softly in return.

"Papa Carlisle, Momma Esmeee!" They heard Nessie sang from the first floor. "Daddy and Emmett just broke the Louis XVI."

"Blabbermouth!" Emmett's heavy steps could be heard chasing the giggling little girl.

_Yes, it was far more than perfect._

...but little they knew that their perfection was about to be shaken seeing that they had become one the night before.

* * *

_Thanks for reading! Comments, reviews and complains are always welcome; in any size and any language. Have a hopeless romantic day!_


	6. Changes and Exchanges

_Long update so grab a snack...maybe a drink too. Had to divide it in three parts. Not my best update but I'll leave the reviews to you. __I'll make it up with next one._

* * *

**CHAPTER V**

**Changes and Exchanges**

Esme wrote down quickly on her notebook while her eyes examined closely the blueprints on her desk. A warm summer breeze invaded her small study from the large opened window by her side, diverting her attention.

_A new night was setting in._

She smiled to herself knowing Carlisle was about to arrive soon from a long shift at work. Of course hours were nothing compared to the eternity they were meant to spend together. Still, she couldn't help but miss him. She sighed deeply, recalling the wonderful night and morning they spent together, how amazing it felt they were so much in love after so many years together.

_Focus._ She continued writing down on the notebook. She rested back on her comfortable armchair and an unexpected tingling sensation ran through her. Disregarding it, Esme shifted in her seat, trying to find a more comfortable position, though as she did; the perfume of the white shirt she was wearing trapped her.

It was Carlisle's shirt.

She had stolen it from his hands right when he was about to wear it for work.

"_I'm sorry." She whispered into his ear in a very seductive tone. "But I'm going to keep this one for me today."_

Esme smiled at her naughtiness; it felt nice to 'wear' him while he was gone. The nicest part was that he had taken something from her too. Her handkerchief.

_He had her in his pocket_.

_Blueprints, Esme! _She had to focus on the project otherwise she was never going to finish in time the design of the old house they had acquired. She leaned over to make some minor changes on the blueprint when her sleeve moved up a little revealing blossoming bruises.

Esme frowned at the sight.

Leaving her work aside, she pulled up her sleeve to discover more jade colored patches. Confused, she unbuttoned the shirt to get a better look and to her surprise, her body had a few too... and tingled when touched. She stood there, inspecting them.

_They d__efinitely weren't spots_.

Quickly, she buttoned up the shirt when she felt someone approaching.

Nessie was tiptoeing in Carlisle's office, heading towards the door of her study. The little girl was moving furtively; her movements could barely be sensed but her heart was beating faster than usual. Slowly, the door that connected Esme's study with Carlisle's opened. Nessie tiptoed in, closing the door behind her as quiet as she could. She looked fixedly at Mommy Esme, placing her finger on her lips telling her to remain quiet.

Although puzzled, Esme smiled when after receiving a kiss on the cheek; Renesmee made her move her legs to a side to be able to crawl below the empty space under her desk.

Just a second later, the door of her study was abruptly opened.

"I know you're hiding her." Rosalie walked in. "I could smell her from the freeway."

"She's been all over the house." Esme shrugged, focusing back on her work. "Her perfume is everywhere."

Rosalie remained in silence on purpose. Their enhanced hearings couldn't help but perceive Nessie's heartbeats, which unfortunately betrayed the little girl's hiding place under the desk. Rosalie tilted her head to a side, arching her eyebrows questioningly at Esme.

"I'm not eating that!" Nessie's voice came from under the desk.

"Eating what?" Esme leaned back in her sear to look at Nessie.

"Carlisle's diet for her." Rosalie reminded her.

"I see." Esme nodded. Besides the orders of measuring and weighting her four times a day to track her growth, Carlisle had established a double diet for Nessie based both on food, and the infamous rubicund liquid.

Esme gave it a thought as soon as she felt the delicious smell of baked food coming from the kitchen. "What if…?" She closed her notebook. "What if I eat along with you?" She stretched out her hand to Nessie. "We'll sit at the table to have dinner together."

_Somehow, the delightful aroma of food was calling Esme._

"Together?" Nessie took her hand to get out from under the desk. "You're not going to like it, salty food tastes awful."

"Oh, believe me." Esme made a face too knowing how bad the experience of eating was. "I know how it tastes." She blinked an eye at Rosalie, who followed them out the room, pleased.

**o)O(o**

The kitchen table was set for dinner with various delicious treats for Nessie to choose, none of them as good as blood of course but still pleasant to human senses... and surprisingly pleasant to Esme too. She stood before the table with Nessie's hand clutched tightly around her fingers and she immediately noticed how her senses began to surrender to the mouthwatering delicacies Bella had cooked.

"It's ready!" Alice placed a flower on Nessie's placemat. But no matter how many flowers she'd put -she could even plant a garden_, _Nessie didn't like human food.

"Oh Esme," Alice shook her head disapprovingly when she saw her. "I know I've told you this many times before and I know you normally have a good sense of fashion but Carlisle's shirts are unflattering to your figure."

Esme's absorption was broken by Alice's words. She took a deep breath to blow away the strange sensation of wanting to devour everything on the table but it only made things worse. As soon as her body decoded one more time the delectable lungful of air, the alluring smell of food placed her in a trancelike state of great eagerness... _She needed to eat._

Before losing it, Esme sat at the table with Nessie and served herself a spoonful of what seemed to be mashed potatoes, with a generous amount of cranberry sauce on the top. Straight away an in a very unladylike way, she shoved a spoon with the succulent mixture into her mouth.

_Heaven was a place on earth._

The eyes of her three oldest daughters scanned her movements with awe when she served herself even more things. Rosalie and Alice looked at each other amused as they sat on their seats. Esme had always taught them by setting good examples but teaching Nessie to eat that way, was the cherry on the top of them all.

"If you were a human, that would kill you." Bella chuckled, bringing a new dish to the table.

"Mommy Esme can have it all." Renesmee giggled. "I'll tell Pop you like my diet best." She told Esme pushing her dish toward her.

"Who likes my diet best?"

Carlisle interrupted the moment by walking into the kitchen loosening his tie. He had just arrived home from work.

His four daughters pointed at Esme, who smiled sweetly at him with the huge dish of food placed in front of her. "I'm just keeping Renesmee company." She shrugged, trying another bite of the scrumptious combination. Carlisle smiled entertained, leaving a tender kiss on her cheek.

Being back home was the best part of the day.

"Eat." He told Nessie, who groaned, resting her head on her small palms.

The sounds of more steps entering the house made Alice jump off her seat.

"The boys are back!" She danced gracefully to open the door of the kitchen, clinging enthusiastically around Jasper's shoulders as soon as he stepped in.

"Now it's the ladies time to go hunting." He smiled warmly returning the embrace. Emmett and Edward followed him, both lowering their heads to avoid Esme's gaze. They were still uncomfortable about the incident with the table.

As soon as she saw her sons walking into the room, Esme rose abruptly from the table. The chair clattered to the floor behind her and the eyes of the family immediately landed on her.

Emmett though she was going to give them another awful reprimand like the one they were given that morning, but she just stood there, immobile; recognizing a very particular scent that was reaching her with great intensity, to the point that it turned unbearable to her. Her stomach twisted absolutely revolted as the scent of fresh blood coming from the boys, took her over. It sent her over the edge. Completely shocked to feel that way, she stopped breathing.

"I'm not going hunting tonight." She blurted out. Her vision became unexplainable blurry through an instant. "I have to…" Confused and unsure of what was happening to her, Esme looked for her most solid excuse to be alone. "I have to work on the blueprints." She rushed out the kitchen in the strangest manner, walking away from the dreadful rusty scent, and feeling as if losing control of her own body.

Concerned about Esme's sudden bizarre behavior, Carlisle followed her just when Alice dropped back onto a chair, immersed in one of her visions.

**o)O(o**

Esme placed her palms on the piano, resting against it; trying hard to regain her senses back. _What was happening_?

A moment later she jumped absolutely terrified when she saw Carlisle standing by her side. "I didn't hear you..." She brought her hand to her lips even more confused.

_She hadn't heard Carlisle coming, not even sensed him._

Confused too, Carlisle took her hand. "Are you alright?" She was particularly cold, colder than usual and trembling. "Esme?" He looked into her eyes, which seemed to be turning darker in color. "You need to go hunting."

_Hunting? How could she go hunting when she was repelled by the sole scent of blood?_ She rubbed her forehead as if she had a headache. She actually wasn't feeling very thirsty, _not even thirsty at all. _"I can handle it."

He stared at her fixedly. She looked gone, anxious; probably from the lack of blood ingestion over the past few days. "It's been more than a week, you should go out with the girls."

"I can handle it." She repeated, this time forcing a smile, but it was useless. Carlisle had known her for almost a century and he couldn't be easily fooled. Still, he didn't pressured her.

"Are you sure?" His eyes focused again on her features.

She looked away to avoid his scrutinizing gaze. "Yes."

_It wasn't worth to alarm him over what was probably just an strange episode._

Breaking out the tension, Esme wrapped her arms around him. "I missed you today." She genuinely confessed.

Carlisle couldn't help but to embrace her too. Remembering what the trade they did that morning, he slid his hand into his pocket; his fingers touched with affection the soft fabric of her handkerchief, taking it out for her to see.

"I think we have to do an exchange." He smiled.

Her eyes brightened, but the reminder of the bruises under the shirt she was wearing, turned everything off. "I'll leave your shirt in the closet as soon as I finish with the blueprints." She backed off, feeling completely terrible about it.

And with that, she hurried upstairs, leaving a perplexed Carlisle standing alone.

* * *

_I know. There are still a lot of open questions, which I promise will be answered in the next updates._

_Thanks for reading!_


	7. When a Butterfly flutters its Wings

**CHAPTER VI**

**When a Butterfly flutters its Wings**

The weather was perfect, mostly cloudy though a few menacing sun rays were sneaking through the clouds.

_It could've been worse_, she thought. A sunny day would have forced her to join the family in one of their traditional hiking or camping excursions to hide away from the town's eyes. Fortunately, the clouds were still there, covering the sky and accomplices to her plan.

Esme pulled over the car she had borrowed without permission from her garage, into Carver Cafe's* parking lot. The magnificent yellow Porsche Alice had unknowingly lent her, shimmered under the daylight; making its presence outstand even more among the rest of the cars.

Unsure, she remained in her seat.

Beyond doubt something was going on with her. It hadn't been just an episode.

The night before, the blueprints on her desk were completely forgotten as soon as she entered the doors of her study. She had spent the night locked in, feeling her keen senses numbing from time to time, and eagerly wishing she could sneak into the kitchen to look for leftovers without calling anyone's attention. She had ignored Carlisle pacing in his study, right next to hers; surely a little confused by her rejection, and also ignored her dear Edward and beloved Alice who went to look for her. Esme was sure they had exchanged the knowledge their powers allowed them to obtain to worry about her, but hadn't said a word about it.

And now there she was, a runaway who had escaped the warmth of her home, seeking for human food.

_Food._

_Not blood but food._ She took a second to look at the reflection of her eyes in the mirror. They had darkened; not a good sign but the curious thing was that just like the night before, she wasn't thirsty. There were only two plausible explanations: she was turning back into a human or she had caught some sort of vampire sickness. Esme sighed at the impossibility, but well,w_hat else could it be? _

Lost in thoughts, she ignored the peculiar sensation, similar to a little fluttering in her lower abdomen; a sensation that unconsciously made her hand move to that spot.

Still in her seat, Esme recalled once or twice, back in 1921 having the same intense need but for human blood. If it hadn't been for Carlisle and Edward, she would've turned into a monster... _Now, she was turning into a food monster_.

Slowly, she reached for her purse on the passenger seat; the delicious smell of food coming from the café was seducing her terribly.

_Oh well, _there was nothing wrong about her wanting to have a nice meal. Esme opened the car door and got out confident, placing on her face the trendiest sunglasses of the season, -according to Alice of course.

As glamorous as a 1950's movie star, Esme walked through the doors of the café with delight. She bit her lower lip when the striking smell of food grew in intensity. The few people eating in the place recognized her as soon as she walked in, and shamelessly began to gossip about Doctor Cullen's good wife.

And even though Esme was able to listen at every single conversation, some of them based on pure speculation, it didn't bother her at all, in fact, she was used to it every time she walked into a place.

"Mrs. Cullen?" Cora, the waitress, approached her almost immediately. She was perplexed to see Doctor Cullen's wife there. "What can I do for you?"

It was Esme's first time in the café and she couldn't help but to look around with curiosity before answering. "I have come to…" She paused. "lunch." She took her sunglasses off and although she couldn't see it, her piercing golden eyes were back.

Intimidated by her appearance, Cora just stood there like mesmerized. _S__he was intimidated by all the Cullen's appearances. Who could blame her when they had such a presence, and those eyes…she could swear Dr. Cullen had the same eye color. _

"Lunch of course!" The waitress finally reacted. Cora was a little nervous, she had never had such an elegant diner. She guided Esme to a comfortable table and gave her a menu. A little doubtful, she added with a gentle tone;

"We only have simple dishes."

As long they served food Esme was going to be unquestionably pleased, so she smiled at the waitress. "I love simple dishes."

Relieved and happy to see Mrs. Cullen was not only an elegant, but also a warm; gracious woman, Cora took her order.

**o)O(o**

Driving back from the hospital in his black Mercedes, Carlisle made the car slow down through the gears down the road. He lowered his window to wave hello at Charlie, who was casually standing by his patrol talking to the woman Bella assumed was soon going to be her stepmother; Sue Clearwater.

He smiled a little at the thought. Charlie deserved to find his soulmate. Carlisle himself had been alone for centuries and he didn't held the minimum hope to find it, less due to his special nature... Until he met that girl and the blood in her did the unthinkable; it appealed to him with such intensity, like no other in all his immortal life. He had found _his singer_. If only he had been as audacious as Edward was with Bella…

Carlisle chuckled, recalling Esme's face when he treated her leg at only sixteen years old... _"If I had been a vampire back then too, I would've kidnapped you Carlisle." _She told him many years later. He kept smiling, that was his Esme; fun, loving, sweet and...He frowned when he felt that perfume that trapped him a century ago closer than expected.

Esme's perfume was something he could perceive from considerable miles away. She was supposed to be working at home, in her study, yet it was too strong for her to be there.

He slowed down the car.

Esme had spent the night in her study and wasn't planning to go out when he knocked her door that morning, she didn't even bothered to open when he announced her that he had to leave to the hospital for an emergency. She didn't even give him a goodbye kiss.

Carlisle took a new breath, trying to feel her perfume again. _It was definitely hers_. He frowned confused. Esme wasn't someone who would go out alone just like that, less without telling him. They were both the old fashioned way; she would always tell him where she was, or even ask him if it was fine to go to a certain place, and he did the same. That's how they got used to ever since she was a newborn; it made her feel comfortable and he was happy as long as she was...but Esme sneaking out, added to the awkwardness of her behavio; that was something to worry about.

Driving like a Cullen, Carlisle swung the steering wheel sending the car into the opposite lane. Instead of going home he was going to track her.

**o)O(o**

"You're hungry, Mrs Cullen." Cora placed Esme's order on the table: a grilled burger surrounded by a generous amount of crunchy fries, a dish with oven baked potatoes topped with a thick coat of sour cream, and an extremely appetizing pecan pie.

"You have no idea." Esme grinned at the promising feast.

"How are the kids at home?" She asked. "Soon leaving for college?"

"Soon." Esme nodded. The little fluttering sensation in her abdomen was back and this time she felt it.

"It's sad when they grow that fast, huh?" Cora looked gloomy at the idea and then smiled before leaving. "Bon appétit."

Esme sat still, trying to feel it again, but it was gone. _It was surely the vampire way of growling over food, s_he thought._ Tasty food._

Everything around her was suddenly forgotten, and her ladylike manners were left behind as soon as a forkful of baked potatoes touched her palate. She shut her eyes, savoring; savoring like she hadn't in 90 years. W_hatever was going on with her, it couldn't be that bad, she was able to taste food and it felt wonderful_.

She shoved another bit into her mouth..._T__oo good to be true._

It hadn't been more than 10 minutes of her feast, when a tall, blonde; incredibly attractive man appeared standing by the doors looking straight at her.

She gulped at the sight.

Carlisle took the end of his scarf and removed it from his neck with a perfect swing before starting to walk towards her table. _Somehow she was feeling like a teen about to be grounded, but she couldn't deny that her husband had style_.

He walked over to her table with curiosity, his eyes never left the scene she was painted in, and Carlisle couldn't help but smile delighted at the view he had in front. A little spot of sour cream on the right corner of her lips, revealed the naughtiness she was into, and by the way she looked; it was as if he had that happy, mischievous sixteen year old Esme sitting there.

Without a word, he sat at the table, right in front of her.

Feeling a little strange that he had found her under such circumstances, Esme pressed her lips into her mouth, waiting for him to say something.

Still amused by her look, Carlisle just reached over, and delicately wiped off the sour cream on the corner of her lips with his thumb.

"Sour cream." He tried hard not to chuckle but failed. Out of all the scenarios he imagined her in while tracking her, this was one that never crossed his mind; it was absolutely bizarre.

She looked down at her dish kind of embarrassed, a smile drawn on her face.

"What is going on Esme?" He leaned down, his head searching her eyes, which one more time had darkened.

"I don't know…" She finally looked at him. "I really don't know." She shrugged. She really didn't know what she was doing. "I guess I want to have... a human-like moment."

"A human-like moment." He repeated, trying to understand. Her behavior was developing in the most interesting way. "You know what you're going to have to do once you're full, don't you?" He looked with concern at the almost-empty dishes on the table.

"I'm aware." She cringed at the thought. Coughing up food was not the most pleasant thing in the vampire world.

He reached for her hand, longing for her touch. "Are you upset about something?" The most comforting part to him was that she held it in return.

"No dear," She caressed his hand, like soothing him. Esme knew he was concerned and she couldn't deny that she had pushed him aside the past twelve hours like she never did before, but truly; she didn't want to stress Carlisle over nothing. "I'm sorry about…"

"It's alright." He interrupted her. "You were working, I understand." He entwined his fingers with hers in the tenderest way. It felt so nice to both of them. "But you're not running away from me tonight." He roguishly smiled, squeezing her hand with affection.

A look of confusion spread on her face.

"The benefit dinner," Carlisle reminded her. "...tonight."

"Oh!" She had completely forgotten. "Of course..." _Carlisle had been looking forward to attend for weeks, Alice and Rosalie had been designing her dress. How could she have forgotten about it?_

"Don't worry, Alice brought your dress this morning." He didn't need to be Edward to read her to know she forgot about it. There was definitely something going on with Esme and he thought it was surely related to her lack of hunting. He looked at the food on the table.

"I think we need to exchange this lunch for a good hunting week… together, alone." Carlisle leaned over seeking a little more intimacy. "What do you say? We can go to the isle; spend the day by the sea, on the sand…"

He pulled an enchanting laugher out of her, just what he needed to hear.

"It would be fun." Esme smiled at the idea of spending a week under the sun with him, without having to worry about the diamonds of their skins, though it was going to be a little difficult trying to convince him that hunting was something she didn't want on her list.

All of a sudden, Esme's smiled disappeared. She felt the little fluttering again; it was like a little butterfly tickling inside. Instinctively, she moved one of her palms to her abdomen. It was so faint, so weak; it led her to think that her body was asking for food.

"Esme?" He noticed the sudden change in her.

"I think all this food is beginning to affect me." She frowned, looking at the only intact dish on the table, the pie.

"Home?" Carlisle proposed raising his hand to call the waitress.

"Not yet." Esme leaned over the table to whisper. "Wouldn't you like to join me?" One of her fingers pushed the dessert towards him.

Carlisle made a face at the sole idea of having to taste human food. Like Nessie once said, _It tasted like dirt_.

"Do it for me, and for Nessie." Esme beamed, obviously reading the look on his face. "She would be so proud of you."

Carlisle couldn't help but laugh; she got him. "You're unique, Esme." The small table allowed him to reach over to place his scarf around her neck, using the piece of cloth to pull her softly into a tender kiss.

Just in that moment, the butterfly inside her tickled one more time, as if warning Esme that it was time to finish the pecan pie.

* * *

_*I know it's called The Lodge in the books, but since Carver Café is showed in the movie and it's a real place, I chose this instead._

_The general idea of Carlisle recognizing –and biting, Esme in the morgue is that, she left a huge impression on him when they first met and I think part of it was because she was his 'singer'. Just like Bella was to Edward. But again, this is my theory._

_Thanks SO much for reading._


	8. It Happens in the Best of Families

**CHAPTER VII**

**It happens in the best of families.**

Carlisle adjusted his tie in front of the mirror, for some reason the task was becoming incredibly difficult for him.

His eyes travelled from the knot on his neck to the reflection on the mirror, seeking the beautiful woman in a robe sitting far behind on the bed. At one moment, he lost interest in the tie and his eyes glued to the image of his wife. Her delicate hands were examining the soft fabric of the dress she was going to wear that night.

Something happened between them when they arrived home that afternoon after their lunch at the café, and from that moment on, she seemed emotionally detached from any conversation he attempted to begin.

They argued.

Something they hadn't done in a very long time, not since the day she stood up for Bella to protect an unborn Renesmee, and even then the atmosphere between them hadn't been that tense.

_"Well not always everyone is going to do what you say, Carlisle."_

She told him in a sharp tone during a very tense moment that afternoon; her eyes fired against him, and just when they had entered the house and the 'kids' were spread on the living room. He felt the eyes of the entire family on them, none of them said a word naturally; no one would ever question Esme when she was angry. God blessed them if they did.

...but they were surely as puzzled as he was by her reaction.

And now she wasn't speaking to him. The strangest part was that their arguments were usually something matter of a moment, however this time it was lasting more than expected. Moreover, she wasn't showing any enthusiasm at all for the benefit dinner on behalf of the hospital; when a week ago, she was extremely excited about it; she had even received the calls of Jessica Stanley's mother who was actively organizing the event.

"Do you need help with that tie?" His thoughts were interrupted by her voice. She had suddenly stopped her work to look at him. The amused look on her face revealed the horrible double knot he had made, out of the expensive tie Alice had given him to wear that night.

"I got it." He began to untie it but Esme was already standing before him; her delicate hands taking over it. It felt nice to have her close again; she avoiding him was something that didn't make him happy at all.

Carlisle had to agree that he crossed the line; that as soon as she got into his car that afternoon, he hadn't stop compelling her to go hunting before attending to the important event. She refused and he insisted and insisted, and by the time they had arrived home, Esme was very distressed.

But he was doing it for a good reason; he didn't want her attacking the first soul walking past her that night.

"There." Esme smiled at her modest effort. She had learnt how to make a knot for a tie with Carlisle; when the current Macclesfield tie was first introduced at the beginning of the century. The first time they built together the most hilarious chaos around his neck, making both of them end up laughing in such a way that Edward thought they had lost their minds.

"You look decent now." She brushed the chest of his elegant shirt with both hands and just as she was doing it, his hands went to cup hers onto his chest.

He took one moment to look at her closely. For one second he thought seen her eyes turn into a soft bluish tone, but then the dark circles under them called his attention. She looked exhausted, much more than she did earlier that afternoon. _It was surely the lack of hunting._

"I was discourteous to you today and I'm sorry." He tried to look into her eyes but they seemed to avoid him. _Not a good sign…_

"Nevermind." Her voice was soft; her words almost a whisper. Esme wasn't feeling herself; she wasn't feeling very well at all. Changes were happening in her body, she could feel them, she could see them but she just couldn't tell Carlisle, at least not that night. _His night._

"Is everything alright?" His eyes tried to find an answer in her expression.

"Of course," She smiled a little, gently releasing her hands from his touch. _What a terrible liar she was_. "Why wouldn't it be?" She went back to her dress.

It hadn't been their argument what sunk her into silence but what happened later that afternoon; when she locked herself in her study after their argument. She felt unusually sensitive, to the border of tears, and a sudden painful, burning sensation began to run on the side of her neck down to her chest. To her horror, she discovered shimmering silvery bite marks exposed on her skin. The marks of the bite that caused her transformation.

Something serious was happening and it was beginning to scare her.

"You don't look fine." Carlisle interrupted her absorption. He tried to sound casual, not wanting to start another argument.

"Don't start." Esme turned around to face him, her defensive attitude was startling, even to her. "Don't, please." She tried to sound less strained.

Carlisle remained silent and began to button his sleeves, trying hard not to say anything else.

_B__ut how not to_?

Esme was looking terribly distressed, the most difficult part to him was to recognize that it was surely the lack of intake of blood the one that was causing it, and she was refusing to drink. Carlisle couldn't comprehend her sudden attitude against it.

"Let me know when you're ready." He said in a very stern tone of voice, before leaving the room. "I'll be in the library."

_Maybe going out that night wasn't a good idea at all._

Esme stood motionless, watching her husband walk away.

_How on earth did they end the day this way?_

She picked up the dress and rushed into the long walk-in closet, feeling extremely emotional again. She had to tell Carlisle, but that night was important to him. The benefit dinner for the hospital was something he'd been anticipating for so long, and Esme knew that as soon as she disclosed her strange condition, he was going to leave everything to focus on the issue; the way he always did. Carlisle was constantly leaving what he enjoyed the most for the family, and that was the last thing Esme wanted that night.

She breathed heavily as she walked across the overflowing amount of clothing they had, toward the old-fashioned mirror that stood at the end of the area. Slowly, Esme allowed the robe she was wearing to fall from her shoulders to the floor. She stood before the mirror wearing a beautiful silk slip, the image reflected on it looked perfect, until her eyes reached the skin on her neck. The marks had diminished since she first saw them but were still there.

_Fortunately nothing a nice shawl wouldn't conceal. _

Quickly, she pulled the dress over her head, letting it slid down her body.

It was stunning. She couldn't deny her daughters did a wonderful job designing it, including Bella when she chose the fabric.

One sole thing called her attention. It felt a little tight on the abdomen and even more when she tried to arrange it.

Never before had one of Alice creations failed to fit her.

_Wonderful._ She thought. _What was left?_

And then slowly, a strong wave of nausea began to take her over, something that didn't allowed her to catch the glimpse of the small silhouette slipping out of the walk-in closet.

**o)O(o**

Renesmee walked out of the room as fast she could. She had to tell someone what she had seen, but was sure that doing it would upset momma Esme.

In that moment, Nessie remembered her hands were holding two pages of the composition she just finished writing that evening.

Maybe going to granddad with her homework, would be the perfect excuse to talk to him. She eyed her work; one thousand and fifty handwritten words. Most girls her age would write about their pets, or what they wanted to be when they grow up, but Nessie was unique in her own way; a talented child far more interested in the Industrial Revolution, subject she knew first hand from papa Carlisle and momma Esme.

Ever since Esme told her that girls weren't always allowed to go to college, and Carlisle that there were no such things as pens back in 1776; she turned into a History buff. Nessie couldn't believe such a world ever existed, and that both her grandparents lived in it and 'survived'.

She stood before the doors of Carlisle's library, and was about to knock, when the voice behind it was already allowing her to come in. Nessie pushed the doors and sprinted into the wooden paneled room with a bright smile. "Done!"

Carlisle smiled too, putting back a book into the towering shelves that reached high above their heads. "No misspellings?" He asked.

"No." Renesmee gave him her homework.

Carlisle raised his eyebrows questioningly.

She giggled. "Maybe one or two, but I wrote it myself and used a pencil." She pointed at the greyish letters, proof of her hard work. "Just like you said."

"Good." Carlisle smiled satisfied. Nessie was the only one of his daughters interested in history and science. Maybe someday she would follow his steps in medicine.

"Are you ready to say your speech tonight?" Nessie followed him as he walked into the study, to sit on his leather chair behind a large mahogany desk.

"Uhm...yes." Carlisle's tone was doubtful. Nessie noticed it. He was far more concerned about Esme than the benefit dinner.

Renesmee just stood there, thinking, trying to put two and two together. It was easy though. "Is she still angry at you?" She looked up at the ceiling, trying to feel Esme's steps.

"I think so." Carlisle leaned back on his chair. He was sure that Esme was still upset, though he couldn't understand why. He couldn't understand anything.

Renesmee leaned against his chair. "Don't worry papa, she loves you. She can't be angry forever." Nessie smiled. "Just hug her and tell her pretty things."

Carlisle chuckled. Things sounded so simple when they came from Renesmee's lips.

"She's been acting different these days." Nessie stretched her hand to grab the stethoscope hanging on the back of his chair. She placed it in her ears. "She hides from us all the time." She put the chestpiece on her collarbone to feel her own heartbeats.

Smiling, Carlisle guided it correctly onto her chest.

Nessie's eyes opened wide at the thumping sound inside her. "Is that my heart?"

He assented, seeing a special sparkle in her eyes.

It was interesting to Nessie. She was sure she had heard the same but fainter thumping in momma Esme's too. "She doesn't want to go hunting anymore," She continued. "Not even with me."

Carlisle didn't say a word. It was true. Esme was out of character. They needed to have good talk.

"Today I was hiding in your closet," Nessie began, "and I saw..."

The doors of the study were unexpectedly opened in that moment. Esme walked into the study. She was still wearing her robe, and her beautiful waves of silky caramel colored hair were deliberately covering the skin of her neck. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for bed?" She asked Nessie.

Sensing an unsettled mood coming from his wife, Carlisle stood from his chair. "It's time to go to bed." He smiled at Renesmee. The little girl's eyes locked on Esme, recalling what she saw in the walk-in closet.

"You should tell him." She told Esme as she walked past her, out of the library.

Esme stood still, trying to understand Nessie's words.

"What's wrong, Esme?" Carlisle was resolute to start their much needed talk with that question.

"I'm sorry," Esme looked away trying to avoid his gaze_._

Uneasy, she ran a lock of hair behind her ear. It was so hard for Esme to tell him what she was about to say, but she had to.

"I'm sorry but I think you should go to the benefit dinner alone." She paused to take a much needed breath.

Her words reached the ears of the rest of the family, who was gathered in the terrace witnessing a very entertaining arm wrestling contest, between Jasper and Emmett.

"If she keeps on that way, we're all going to end up orphaned." Emmett made a face. He was going to continue teasing but a good elbow on the ribs from Rosalie, prevented him from doing so.

"This is serious Emmett." Rosalie scolded him.

"Parents arguing; it happens in the best of the families." Jasper said with his very particular southern accent. He stretched his arm, getting ready for another arm wrestling match with Emmett.

Edward and Alice exchanged looks before she spoke. "It bothers me not knowing what is going on, even when I'm having those visions." She looked frustrated.

"It's something we'll figure out anytime soon." Edward tried to calm his sister.

"I keep seen her past; her baby, what she went through." Alice sighed, trying one more time to scan her visions.

"It doesn't make sense." Bella interrupted. "Since when can you see someone else's past?"

* * *

_Thanks A LOT for reading, thanks for your reviews and comments!_

_Have a wonderful day!_


	9. The Melody of Two Hearts

_Thanks to SonicTeamCE for helping me rewrite a sentence that drove me crazy last chapter._

_And thank you all for your wonderful comments and messages; they are a great motivation!_

* * *

**CHAPTER VIII**

**The Melody of Two Hearts.**

Bella gained a few puzzled looks with her observation and soon the wrestling challenge was forgotten.

"What do you mean?" Alice seemed to be frozen; static by her sister's words.

Bella just shrugged unsure. "It just seems strange, you are supposed to have visions of the future, not the past."

"Wait." Rosalie shook her head in complete disapproval. The sole idea was unimaginable. "If you are trying to imply that Esme is …"

Emmett laughed hard, cutting off Rosalie's deduction. "Come on! It's an easy one, girls! It's going to be your grandkid Bella. You know; Nessie and Jacob. The future is close..."

Edward and Bella exchanged horrified looks. "Do us a favor Emmett." Edward asked his brother in the most elegant and refined way. "Shut the..."

"Stop!" Alice's tinkling voice interrupted Edward's threaten. The depth of her golden eyes, were lost somewhere in the images playing in her mind. "Esme is going to pass out." She blinked in complete shock before looking at Edward. "Now."

**o)O(o**

Carlisle stood bewildered before Esme. Not only was he confused, but also unsure of her unexpected; erratic behavior.

"It's not you, Carlisle." Esme was being honest but it was hard for her to speak when she was feeling dizzy and light headed. She laid her hand upon her forehead feeling an imminent headache about to strike her.

_A H__eadache? It was impossible!_

She hurried to speak. "I'd prefer if you go with Rosalie, Alice or ..." Another wave of nausea took her over. It was stronger than before.

_How on earth could she possibly feel that way?_

Esme closed her eyes trying to find some relief, but it was impossible. Her sense of balance seemed to be failing as well, since for a second she felt the floor swaying beneath her feet.

Hurriedly, she left the study, giving awkward steps to avoid losing balance.

She wished Carlisle hadn't noticed, but it was too late for that. He couldn't be easily fooled when it came to physical conditions.

"Esme." He followed her.

Her vision went suddenly blurry as she rushed upstairs, but it didn't make her reduce her quick pace towards their bedroom. She knew Carlisle was following her, but Esme was still pretending everything was fine.

It all happened so fast.

Once in their bedroom, she turned around and raised her hands to prevent him from coming closer to her, and quickly rushed into the bathroom; locking the door behind.

Fragile, Esme leaned her aching body against the cold marbled wall, trying hard to regain her senses back. The venom in her body burned in her veins; veins that felt like were about to burst in her head. A cold shudder ran down her spine and her stomach twisted disgusted when an overwhelming sensation hit her. The food she had eaten earlier that day was inevitably coming up her throat. It was too much for her.

"Esme. Open up." She could hear Carlisle's voice echoing in the background. His knuckles were striking the door, demanding it to be opened.

Weak, she dropped her face into her hands and closed her eyes shut. The world was spinning around her, and threatening to disappear.

Carlisle stood on the other side of the door. "Esme!" He raised his voice in a way he had never done before.

"You're being way too civil Carlisle." Edward was suddenly in the room followed by the rest of the family. Faces of absolute concern, pleaded him to take a more drastic measure, and surely Carlisle wasn't going to let a door stand in between Esme and them, not after seeing his wife in such a startling state.

With inhumane strength he shoved his shoulder against the door. The lock was easily broken, and he stepped into the bathroom.

The family gathered at the door.

Esme was sitting on the cold marbled floor, curled up against the bathtub. Her face buried in her hands.

The alarming view shocked Carlisle in such a way; he tried hard not to lose it. He immediately went by her side.

"Esme." The back of his fingers touched her cold face trying to tell if she was unconscious. For the first time, in his whole existence, Carlisle felt completely terrified.

"Edward." Carlisle's voice was like no one had ever heard before. "Bring the supplies from the basement, now."

Esme managed to whisper for help, but she didn't need too; her features alone screamed how startling her state was.

Moved by his quick medical mind, Carlisle reached for a towel and opened the bathtub tap to dampen it. Right away, he pressed the cloth against Esme's forehead and around her face. He had never seen one of their kind in her condition. It was impossible for them to get sick; nothing could harm them.

_What on Earth was happening?_

"What happened?" He spoke softly, still in absolute awe.

Esme shook her head softly. A whisper came out from her lips. "I don't know." She took a deep sigh, as if she needed that air in her lungs.

Out of the blue, her hand flew to cover her mouth. Food was coming up her throat again. Gathering all her strength, she began to move towards the sink. Carlisle helped her, his hands held her steadily while his mind tried hard to figure out why was making Esme so unwell.

**o)O(o**

Carlisle's arms held her safely. No place on Earth was more secure than them. They were sitting on the cold floor, against the elegant bathtub she once chose to redecorate their large marbled bathroom.

Esme's body was resting against her husband; her face was buried in his chest. Even when she didn't need to, Esme breathed in and out; her body ached for the oxygen in the air. Carlisle left a kiss on top of her head; the delicious perfume of her hair relieved him a little. Her closeness was comforting, and so it was to her, under the circumstances.

"You should have told me all this before." Carlisle's voice was soft, and soothing. "It would have saved us that sour discussion." He smiled a little.

All Esme wanted was not to alarm him, but the sudden events changed everything.

"I'm sorry." She breathed into his chest, her hand clutched his shirt. She pulled apart to look at him and was going to speak when her face twisted in distress. She was feeling sick again.

Carlisle frowned as she shut her eyes closed, waiting for the nausea to pass.

"Allow me to…" He asked, his hands were already reaching the neckline of her bathrobe, uncovering her shoulders with care. Carlisle was seeking to see again the infamous silver scars he had inspected minutes earlier. Her strange condition was disconcerting to him. "I did this to you." His fingers touched them softly, examining the traces of his deed when he turned her.

It was clear to him that Esme's body was acquiring human traits_._

"Poison," Rosalie interrupted from her place by the bathroom's door. "That gypsy poisoned you. I told you." Her gaze went from Esme to Carlisle. "I told you that nothing good would come from that trip to Romania." She turned around to look at Alice, her piercing eyes were filled with pure accusation.

Alice looked down to the floor, mortified. She began to believe that her visions were failing her for the very first time in a century.

"We can always go back to Romania, hunt her and find a cure." Emmett proposed.

Jasper approved, his mind was already planning an ambush to the gypsy market.

"I hardly believe that poor woman poisoned me." Esme cut him off. She rubbed her eyes before speaking. "How could a human poison someone like us, someone with venom in our streams?"

They all remained silent, it was true. Their venom had a powerful healing quality.

"Try again." Carlisle interrupted her, placing a crystal glass filled with blood close to her lips.

Disgusted by the scent, Esme gently pushed it away. The smell made her feel even sicker. "Not now."

"You must promise me you'll start drinking again. I see no better solution to counteract this." Carlisle placed the glass down.

In Carlisle and Esme's bedroom, while the grown-ups discussed their theories, Nessie slid from Bella's lap to stand on her own. She began to give a few steps, mesmerized by the wonderful sound only she could hear.

A beating heart.

She stopped to stand at the bathroom's door, next to Rosalie and watched absorbedly at Carlisle and Esme.

Nessie could feel a very fragile thumping coming from Esme. The sound melted along with the thumping of her heart into one beautiful sound. It was like a melody to her, the melody of two hearts beating like one.

One of her small palms went to touch her chest, seeking to capture the rhythm inside.

Nessie smiled, she was resolute to share the wonderful discovery with the family, when Esme's eyes caught her attention.

"Mommy Esme?" She asked stepping into the bathroom. "Why are your eyes blue?"

* * *

_Not an evil cliffhanger but well, maybe next time I'll be able to write an evil one._

_Again thanks for reading!_


	10. Swirling, Poking and Tickling

_I decided to cut this update in five short different parts. It'll be like having five updates in one._

_Hope you'll have fun with this one!_

* * *

**CHAPTER IX**

**Swirling, Poking and Tickling.**

Carlisle pressed his lips against Esme's forehead, leaving a kiss; seeking to see her eyes flutter open and be able to admire her beautiful gaze.

But it didn't happen.

Esme only sighed deeply, snuggling herself even more against the soft pillows of their bed.

She was sleeping.

And it didn't surprise him. Not after he had witnessed.

It had been a long night, one of the longest they ever had. The level of concern reached its highest peak when under the sight of the family, Esme's eyes changed their color into a deep ocean blue, and Renesmee began to insist that she could hear a beating heart coming from her grandmom.

For a second, they were forced to believe that Esme was going through a reversal process; that she was turning back into a human. But the conclusion was quickly dropped when after a short examination; Carlisle confirmed that Esme's heart wasn't beating.

Therefore, the theory of her turning back into a human was not plausible.

One sole thing was absolutely clear; her symptoms were tied to human traits and might have been caused by the herbs she ate in Romania. Like Rosalie suspected, the gypsy probably tried to poison Esme, which would also partially explain why none of them was able to trace her that day in the market.

Carlisle softly caressed the soft skin of her face with the back of his fingers. Only God knew how deeply he loved this woman, and how stricken he would be if he lost her.

"I need you to look after her while I'm gone." He whispered to Edward and Rosalie, who were standing by the end of the bed. "If something happens, call me and I'll be here as soon as possible." He turned to look at them, his eyes were filled with concern.

In a movement he wasn't expecting, Esme's hand went to touch his face in a tender way. She was awakened by his voice.

"It's not like you are leaving the country." She said in a raspy voice as she sat against the pillows, looking like fairy-tale princess who had just awoken from a hundred years dream. "I'll be fine. Go to the hospital." Her gaze locked on him.

The most spellbinding blue eyes in the world wrapped him with thrilling enchant. It was the same gaze that surrendered Carlisle to her completely many decades ago, when they first met and she was still a human. He couldn't help but to get lost in them again, the image was captivating.

Edward and Rosalie exchanged looks. "Carlisle." Edward spoke. "Just go, excuse yourself and come back."

Carlisle stood giving an insecure nod. Not wanting to forget a very important thing, he took the crystal glass from the night table, something that made Esme very uncomfortable.

"I'm not leaving without you trying this first." He assured her, holding the glass one more time in front of her.

The red liquid swirled inside.

"Carlisle..." She leaned back on the pillows.

"I'm not asking you, I'm begging you." He leaned forward to place the glass in her hands. "Please."

Defeated and knowing very well that her condition wasn't one to take lightly, Esme made a huge effort to place the cold crystal on her lips. The rusty scent was strong, sickening to her. She tried hard to sip a little very quickly, and like a little girl made face when the liquid touched her lips. "There. Go."

Carlisle couldn't help but to chuckle a little at her face, but soon his features changed into pure awe, when he saw her eyes changing their color into a very light golden, right in front of him.

"It's the strangest of all conditions." Edward was stunned as well. "But I think you have found the possible cure." He told Carlisle, nodding towards the glass.

Carlisle finally allowed himself to breath satisfied. "I'm going to get a few more supplies from the hospital." He laid a kiss on a very puzzled Esme, who had absolutely no idea of what had just happened.

**o)O(o**

The sound of the cascading water filling the tub echoed nicely against the marbled walls of the bathroom. Esme rested on her stomach, wrapped in a towel right next to it. She was giving the final touches to the plans of the gazette she was planning to build in the garden. It was going to be a beautiful addition to the house, and something that would bring Edward and Bella, wonderful memories of their prom night.

She smiled at her creation.

It was so good to feel a little better; to feel herself again. That little sip seemed to rebuilt the energy she needed.

She covered her mouth when she felt a yawn coming out her lips. It was surprising.

_Well, it was going to take more than a sip to treat her odd condition_

Esme knew it was going to cost her, since the scent of blood was still disgusting her.

She stood to turn off the tab and almost immediately, allowed the towel to fall to the floor, as she stepped into the warm bubbly water. Finally, a peaceful moment after a hectic week. She allowed her body to rest in the tub, sighing relieved as the soothing water and the delicious perfume of the bubbles began to wash away the tension in her body.

Only one more thing would make her bath a wonderful experience; Carlisle.

She smiled a little at her naughty thought. But he was in the hospital, excusing himself for their absence from the benefit dinner, leaving the generous donation check they were bound to give the night before, and excusing himself even more so he could be able to spend the day with his sick wife.

What a wonderful husband he was and how much she loved him, she couldn't wait for him to come back and they would snuggle together in bed.

Happy with the prospect, Esme reached for the soft sponge that was resting on a silver shell at the border of the tub, and began to run it along her neck and shoulders. Delicate clouds of bubbles began to envelope her skin. _It felt so pleasant._

She dropped the sponge to a side and pulled her knees up her chest and until that moment she hadn't noticed how swollen her lower abdomen seemed to be. Immediately, Esme brought her hands down into the water to feel it. Her figure had always been slender but rounded and soft, since Carlisle transformed her not long after giving birth to her late baby boy, nevertheless; her abdomen felt distended.

"Esme." She heard Edward knocking the door. "I'm truly sorry to interrupt but…Don't push Alice! But we fear the fact that you could drown in the tub, therefore, would you mind..."

"Oh move!" She heard Rosalie speaking. "Esme, finish your bath or I'm coming in."

Esme rolled her eyes. She would have to find another time to relax. "I'm coming."

_Who said having paranoid vampire kids was easy?_

**o)O(o**

"There." Alice gave Esme a book and went to arrange the pillows behind her mother's back.

Esme was confined to bed under Carlisle's latest orders. "Don't you dare to step out of the bed, Mom." Alice told her with the most caring voice. "If you need something call us. We'll be in the library studying your case." She smiled at a very amused Esme and right away, stepped charmingly out of the room.

Alice was feeling guilty; after all, it was her vision the one that took them to Romania. She truly thought they were going to find something extraordinarily special for them there. Instead, she got Esme poisoned.

"Aunt Alice?" Nessie joined Alice in the fine art of walking down the stairs. Of all the movements anyone did in the house, Nessie loved Alice's steps. She liked to copy her aunt's graceful movements and Alice knew. It was something she adored to see in the little girl. "Can I study the case with you too?"

"Well of course, Renesmee." Alice swung their hands together as they entered Carlisle's library.

The walls of the high ceilinged room were completely covered by tall shelves which contained thousands of books. Right in the middle of the library, was a large mahogany table with opened books carelessly scattered all over it. Jasper, Bella and Rosalie were leaning around it. Each one was reading a book; clearly looking for any important information that could help them cure Esme.

Edward was standing high atop one of the library ladders, his eyes were looking for a special title.

"I say we should travel to Romania to hunt that witch." Emmett said dropping himself back on a leathered chair after his unsuccessful Google search in the computer. "We bring her and force her to heal Esme."

"She's a gypsy." Jasper spoke, his eyes never left the book he was reading. "She'll curse you and dust the stairs with you in a blink."

"Well, just like Carlisle, I think drinking and hunting will improve Esme's physical condition." Alice's soft voice interrupted as she went to receive a book Edward was handing her. "Blood is the antidote."

Renesmee paced around the room before stopping next to her momma to eye the book she was reading. She stepped back when she saw the horrible illustration on the page of what it seemed to be a monster; half a snake and half a creepy woman with three heads.

_Definitely not her thing_.

Nessie decided to go find a book herself that could help with momma Esme's case and wisely, she chose one from the medicine section. It was one of the books she had seen Papa Carlisle with.

"_Whenever you want to find out the possible reasons of a special condition, this is the book."_ He once told her. It was a book about humans but since mommy Esme was presenting human attributes then it made sense to her to at least, take a peek at it.

She dropped the enormous book onto the carpet, and kneeled before it to open the tome.

It only took Renesmee, ten minutes to build her own diagnosis.

"Mommy Esme is going to have a baby." She said delighted at the idea of having a baby in the house. Renesmee turned around to look at her family with a smile plastered on her face. "She is!" She said pointing at the book.

Everyone looked at her of course. Mostly out of interest rather than taking for certain the words of a child.

In that moment, Alice dropped the book she had in her hands.

**o)O(o**

Minutes earlier, upstairs, Esme sat against the soft pillows of her bed. She wasn't feeling very well and even though she tried hard to take a sip from the new served glass, it was impossible to her. The blood was revolting her even more.

In order to get some distraction, she decided to immerse her mind in the book Alice had given her and was beginning to get captivated by the novel when unexpectedly, she felt a poke in her womb.

The book in her hands slid down onto her lap when that little poke was followed by a swirl inside her. Her hands immediately flew to her abdomen. The sensation was too familiar, too shocking to be ignored..._and there it was again._ She looked down at her stomach as her hands felt a new swirl, which sent her to the most shuddering realization.

_Could it be possible?_

Breathing heavily and in utter astonishment, she immediately pushed the covers away and sat on the border of the bed, her hands were still on her abdomen. Something inside was poking, swirling and tickling. As fast as she could, Esme stood up and rushed out of her bedroom on her way to the library.

_Bad move._

She hadn't given a few steps when all of a sudden, her vision became blurry.

_Not again..._She thought to herself.

She tried hard to focus but then again the world began to spin around her. Her exceptional senses were failing her again. _How much she was beginning to hate it..._

Fortunately and in a swift movement Edward was already holding her. His arms lifted Esme in time, before she collapsed unconscious.

"Call Carlisle, now!" He commanded Alice, who was already talking over the phone.

Anxiety fell upon the Cullen house.

**o)O(o**

Esme breathed heavily as she softly pushed away the red liquid she was being offered. The looks of her sons and daughters were relieved to see her finally awake.

"Don't tell Carlisle…" She managed to whisper dizzy, as she propped herself up against the pillows of her bed.

"Drink," One more time Edward placed the glass in front of her.

"I really don't…" She shook her head. There was something even more repulsive about blood in that moment, she wasn't able to stand the scent. Her fingers went to rub her blurry eyes.

Rosalie and Alice looked at each other, the apprehension in their looks was evident. Immediately, Alice went to sit next to Esme and reached to squeeze her hand in a tender way. "Please, you will feel better if you drink."

Esme didn't do anything but to look down at her abdomen, as if trying to make sure it hadn't been a dream.

..._and it hadn't._

The sensation in her abdomen was still there, taking up her entire attention. Subtly, her palm went to feel it again.

_And there it was_. The soft playful tickles inside her, right under her hand. It was impossible, but she could feel it.

_It was real._

"Oh my…" Edward whispered in complete stupefaction, his mind had reach Esme's thoughts. Their gazes met, secretly sharing the most shocking discovery of the day.

"What?" Rosalie frowned. "What's going on?"

The front door opened as if the wind had shoved against it and seconds later, a very alarmed Carlisle walked into the room.

Esme looked fragile, the dark shadows under her eyes had accentuated again. Her big golden eyes were gone and not even a glimpse of that beautiful blue could be seen; only a deep burgundy that was scrutinizing him with confusion and apprehension. He caught a glimpse of the crystal glass standing on the night table. It was still filled with the crimson red liquid.

_It was untouched; she hadn't drink._

"Could you please leave us alone for a moment?" There was a hint of graveness in his voice.

Steadily, one by one, the kids began to leave the room. Edward hesitated, but then thought that it was better to leave Carlisle handle the situation alone, after all; he was the head of the family and apparently, was about to become a father again.

As soon as they were left alone Carlisle gave a few steps towards Esme.

"Why haven't you tried drinking?" He was trying hard not to lose it. Minutes earlier, when he heard Alice's alarmed voice on the other side of the phone, he thought the worse had happened.

Absorbed by the constant tickles in her abdomen, Esme didn't answer. Something was moving inside her or better, someone.

"I know it is difficult for you, but you must drink." Carlisle went to stand by her side.

Esme just blinked at him, she was stunned by the feeling inside her. The more Carlisle spoke, the more she would feel it... _tickling_.

It felt like a little butterfly; until it poked her again, bringing to an halt all her absorption.

"Carlisle," She tried to interrupt him.

"I don't want to lose you." He began to pace all over the room; the way he did when he was extremely worried. His voice was serene but Esme knew there was anxiety building up inside him. "I need you to understand how critical this is, Esme." He tried to explain. "If the poison is persistently pushing you towards a human state and your body is not able to fight it, then..."

"Carlisle," Esme stood up from the bed with difficulty since she was still feeling dizzy and went to reach him. "Carlisle, look at me." She held his face with both her hands.

He focused his attention on her.

"I'm not doing this out of stubbornness," She said with sincerity. "We truly don't know what is going on with me."

Slowly, she held one of his hands to gently place on her swollen abdomen.

Their gazes locked.

He looked at Esme with inquisitiveness, to then stare blankly at her beautiful face.

Through the thin fabric of her nightgown, his palm felt the faint tickling movement inside her.

* * *

_I think some might be confused after reading this update but like I said before, everything will be explained._

_I want to thank you all for all the wonderful support you have given to this story. Your comments are always encouraging and very helpful, even though I know my grammar is still messy. *giggles*_

_**Thank you from the bottom of my heart.**_

_And if you want to adventure with another crazy story, take a look at __**'Sweet Temptations' **__and let me know if it should remain a oneshot or not. (warning- the storyline is even crazier than this one.)._


	11. Out of Love and Compassion

_Thanks to Mackenzie__ for correcting my horrible grammar and misspellings!_

_Little Butterfly has been nominated to the Sunflower Awards, yay! It's my very 1st nomination and it feels so special. Thank you!_

* * *

**CHAPTER X**

**Out of Love and Compassion.**

The delivery room had been set up in their house months ago by Carlisle in order to welcome Renesmee into the world. Ever since then, all the equipment had remained untouched in the basement for a good time until that moment.

_Who would have thought they were going to need it again?_

Carlisle and Esme looked at each other silent under the bright ginger colored lights of the sunset that was leaking through the large glass wall of their bedroom. The warm rays landed on the spot of the bed they were sitting on, dyeing them in orange and yellow; shamelessly revealing the few diamonds of their skins.

But it didn't matter to them. Nothing in the world mattered at all in that particular moment.

"It's not going to work." He said with a low soft voice at her naive suggestion of bringing upstairs the ultrasound scan. Their skins were too thick to see through it and it seemed the instrument wasn't going to be necessary as they could hear it now. The rhythmical sound had joined Renesmee's beats into one lullaby all the time, concealing its presence from everyone and making it impossible to be perceived if not focused on it. Nevertheless it was clear now; now that they were paying special attention to that _little beating heart._

With care, Carlisle slid down under her stomach the ivory colored bedding that was warmly covering Esme, to then lift the muslin fabric of her nightgown; leaving exposed the skin of her abdomen. It was indeed swollen.

His mind was a race of thoughts.

"Since when..." He tried to ask but she was already answering.

"Today." Esme was completely stunned and terrified. It was surreal.

He placed both of his palms on the skin of her lower abdomen and pressed his fingers all together with gentle care, following the conventional procedure of a physical examination.

Another unexpected poke made Carlisle and Esme exchange stunned looks.

"Is it?" She began the question though, the answer was rather obvious.

"Yes." The word left his lips with utter of shock. Not even in another hundred years would he have expected such a thing; she had life growing inside her. _How could it be possible?_ The answer was far away from his extensive knowledge.

Esme shook her head in absolute denial. "It's impossible." She was confused; scared.

He took one of her hands, trying to lessen the burden of her fear; something he knew impossible under the shocking circumstance. He closed his eyes in an attempt to order his thoughts. Esme only managed to stare at his face, trying hard to read it; to read his thoughts. She clutched his hand waiting for Carlisle to say something and he entwined his fingers among hers in response.

To Carlisle, everything was beginning to make sense: Alice's visions, the alleged poison, and her symptoms. He opened his eyes. "Your symptoms are not signs poisoning." He looked at her surprised by his quick deduction. "They never were."

Esme tried to understand.

"The night we came back from Romania, we didn't pay much attention but you developed bruises on your wrists." His brilliant mind began to make the connections. "You were already developing human attributes." He nodded to himself, trying to understand. "She never meant to poison you." Carlisle whispered. "The gypsy recognized what you were and in spite of that she wanted to be generous. She gave you some sort of partial, physical humanity." He paused and it struck him. "The night we returned, you and I..." He stopped his words, recalling the loving night they spent together. "and now you are...like this."

Esme slowly released his hand, her palm went to feel the soft movements inside; falling into the most astounding realization.

_The woman gave her the chance of getting..._

She couldn't even think the word. Esme had banned it from her mind for her own sake.

The most awkward atmosphere floated in the bedroom.

"It's growing at an alarmingly rapid rate." Carlisle finally spoke, a new concern grew in him. "Just like Renesmee; maybe even faster." He stared at her stomach. If conception took place only two days ago and the ..._creature_ was already making its presence felt and seen, then it was something considerably serious, moreover; it was dangerous taking into account the strange inception.

Esme's head was spinning at Carlisle's words.

_Just like Renesmee._

The times she wished they could be able to have a child of their own had been countless considering how many days a century has. The many times he told her that they already had a beautiful, special family; she knew he meant them, but Esme also knew that if there would've been a way for them to conceive; Carlisle would have found it. The many times she had to suppress the emotions of the horrible frustration about the impossibility…and now, here they were. So easy, so stunning.

"I don't like this." He suddenly whispered. "We don't know what kind of..." He paused at the word. He didn't want to use it; it was going to sound cold, derogatory, but it was the correct term. "We don't know what kind of creature is growing inside you."

Almost immediately Esme pulled the bedding up to cover her stomach. Her maternal instincts took her over. Out of the blue, she was feeling noticeably overprotective.

"It has never happened" Carlisle tried to meet her gaze. "Our kind is not meant for this."

She knew what he meant. Her eyes finally met his. Her soul was suddenly a clash of emotions. Esme wanted to be able to feel the happiness she was supposed to, but the chocking sensation of fear, uncertainty, and a growing resentment against his words ruined it all. "Edward and Bella..." She tried to defend the impossible.

"This is different from what happened with Edward and Bella." He anticipated interrupting her words. "She was a human and Edward is…You and I are both…" Carlisle knew it was too much for both of them to continue speaking. He wanted to believe they could be genetically capable of creating a harmless life, but his medical mind made him question the kind of creature that could be growing inside her, when they were both the world's most dangerous predators.

She rested back on the pillows with a heartbroken expression. Esme knew his words intended to imply the same outrageous solution Edward offered to Bella when they found out she was pregnant. The growing knot in her throat began to hurt.

"This is unsafe." He spoke softly, he was reading her face; her heart. He was heartbroken too. "Your body is not capable to...I don't understand how you are undergoing through all these changes; how you conceived..."

Out of the blue, one of Esme's hands went to brush away a moist tickle running down her cheek.

_She was crying._

It was so hard for her to conceal her broken voice, less when his eyes reflected the same pain. "I only know one thing," She could feel that little thing inside her moving again. "You and I created it."

Carlisle could sense the movements too, even when his hands weren't examining her anymore. _How come he didn't notice it before? _"Esme," His hand moved to wipe the tears on her face with tenderness. He looked unhappy too. If they'd had been in a different situation, if they had been humans; it would have been the most beautiful day of their lives, but being what they were...

"What can be born out of us, Esme?" He had an overwhelming expression of sadness.

Her heart sank to see him that way. _What could be born out of two beings frozen in time, destined to crave for the blood of innocents for the rest of their immortal lives?_

Esme got closer to him, pressing her body against his; seeking for his warmth, for his love. Carlisle embraced her tightly in return.

In that little moment, Esme looked up into his eyes, intending to answer his question and deeply wanting to believe that there was a very little chance that it could be good, that it could be wonderful.

"What can be born out of love and compassion?"

* * *

_Don't you love a little drama?_

_Thanks for reading; for your comments & reviews ,and thanks for nominating this story._


	12. Decisions, Decisions

_Thanks to my wonderful new beta** Mackenzie L.** for enduring the difficult task of hunting, ripping apart and burning my grammatical errors and the disturbing amount of commas and semi-colons that were hanging out in this update, Haha. Thanks!_

_Update: Little Butterfly has a banner! http :/i4. photobucket. com /albums /y113 /Alexanastasia /LittleButterfly .jpg Thanks Mackenzie!_

_Have fun with this one..._

* * *

**CHAPTER XI**

**Decisions, Decisions**

In a human family with seven kids the disclosure of the natural, biological addition of another member would probably be something taken with joy or dismay by the youngest ones. In a family of vampires the news would be one of pure shock, bearing in mind that procreation wasn't written on their superb list of capabilities.

It was a rainy night in Forks, way too much for The Cullens' taste. There was whirlwind of mud, water and chaos outside the warm walls of their house. Lightning was striking the sky with no mercy and trees were shaking at the furious weather.

Not a good omen considering the implication of the recent news.

Through the wet glass wall the family could be seen reunited in the living room; the news not only had turned their world upside down but also opened a new reason to question that infamous limitation. But then, the risk involved was high; something Carlisle didn't view with good eyes.

An uncomfortable silence was followed by the disclosure of his position, one that filled the atmosphere of the room with intensity.

The intimidating explosive sound of thunder followed almost immediately by the crack of a falling pine broke the awkward quiet around them, sending a cold shudder down Esme's spine. She was sitting far away from her husband, shielded between Alice and Rosalie, whose eyes were studying her in wonder.

"I saw it." Alice finally moaned, mortified. "I just…I thought it was impossible. I always thought I was seening your past." She rested her forehead against Esme's shoulder. "I'm so sorry, I should've warned you."

With tenderness Esme placed her arm around her daughter's shoulders. _How could she know?_

"It's amazing." Rosalie embraced herself exploring her own possibilities. "Absolutely amazing." _Decades of dissatisfaction finally seemed to come to an end._

"It's not that amazing." Edward interrupted, gaining a few reproving frowns with his remark. His eyes subtly scrutinized a very stern Carlisle whose mind was buried in the most anxious thoughts.

"If it has never happened before, we don't know what kind of creature will be born." Edward rephrased the words echoing in Carlisle's mind.

Carlisle looked down at the floor._ It sounded tough but as much as it hurt him to say, Edward was right. _"It's true." The words barely came out of his lips as he felt Esme's deep gaze upon him.

Without warning, Rosalie's innate sense of protection began to emerge. "What are you trying to imply?" She flanked Esme's side as if ready to attack anyone who dared to touch her.

Carlisle gathered the little strength he had in his being to continue speaking, after all, the person he loved the most was involved. He wished Esme could understand how dangerous it was. "We don't know if it's going to be someone we'll be able to keep under control." He tried to explain calmly. "We don't know if it is going to have our same thirst or how greater this thirst will be…"

"…or the kind of power it will develop." Edward continued. Everything he said was clustered in Carlisle's mind.

Upset but conscious of the meaning of those sentences, Esme moved her hands to protect the little bump of her stomach. Deciding over if it was safe to allow it to be born was something she didn't want to discuss. It was breaking her heart. She wanted this _baby_ and Carlisle knew she wanted it. It felt strange and overwhelming though...for the first time in decades he wasn't supporting her. Neither was Edward. Although for a moment she thought she had seen in her son's eyes a warm blink, as if he were trying to restore her confidence... _but no, he was leaving his position clear_.

"But it hasn't been hurting Esme." Alice spoke joining Rosalie's defense. "Her symptoms are part of her condition."

"And it obviously doesn't take pleasure in blood like us." Bella reasoned. "Esme has been rejecting it ever since."

"Which puts her health at risk." Edward commented. He was probably sounding insensitive but he wanted to reach a very significant point.

Carlisle nodded in agreement. "There is a greater chance of complications; I can't even tell if a birth is possible..." A knot grew in his throat as he completed the sentence. "…without having to lose a life." He looked at his wife, whose eyes were now avoiding him. "A C-section is not viable…I can't cut your skin, Esme." He stopped speaking knowing he was taking it too far for her to handle, but there was so much more he wanted to explain in order to make her reason. "Your body's changes oscillate all the time and are unpredictable..." _How much Esme meant to him. How deep would be the impact if he were to lose her, was too overwhelming; he simply couldn't bear the single thought._

The tension in the room was palpable. There was an uncomfortable sense of angst coming from both Carlisle and Esme that could be easily sensed by everyone.

"We have to add The Volturi into the matter." Edward added. _He wasn't helping, he knew._ "I don't think they're going to like the idea of us reproducing."

"Edward…" Bella cut him off with a reproachful tone. Her eyes went to look behind him, to check over Nessie who was fast asleep on a sofa across the spacious living room. She couldn't imagine having had Renesmee taken away from her, not under her dead body. She fought against the current to be able to keep on with her pregnancy and finally, she had to be changed in order to survive the birth…but Esme; Esme was already a vampire; she was stronger than she was as a human.

"I don't think Aro will be very gracious with us if they know we have another new unusual being in the family." Edward continued, involuntarily gaining the antipathy of his wife and sisters. "And since there's no way to destroy the _creature_ without having to hurt the mother, we are going have to execute Esme, am I right Carlisle?"

His words were like a bucket of the coldest water to everyone.

_What?_

Carlisle shot him a glance of incredulity.

Edward's lips curled into a sarcastic smile. "I suggest Jasper doing it. It'll hurt you less, Esme." He blinked warmly again at her distressed mother, who this time noticed the sense of his words and gave him a shy smile in return. _He was on her side._

Little smiles began to appear on everyone's faces except on Carlisle's, who didn't find Edward's sarcasm very supportive or comical at all.

"I can't say everything is going to be fine." Edward told him with sincerity. "But I can't bring myself to regret the decision of allowing my daughter to be born."

His words sent Carlisle into deep thought.

Esme finally dared to look at Carlisle with begging eyes. "I don't want this to break us apart." She felt her breathing becoming heavier, trying hard not to shed tears. "And I know it sounds thoughtless but... I want us to keep this _baby_." The sound of the word _baby_ came in the most beautiful way out of her lips_._

Esme continued. "And If I have to leave the coven to make it happen, to protect us all, I will. I would never put any of you in danger." Her eyes went to look at her daughters and sons.

Carlisle looked away, as if dismissing her words.

"Oh, Esme no." Rosalie stood by her side. "You're not leaving us, no way." She shot a reproving gaze to Carlisle. It seemed that she was going to have to guard Esme just the way she did with Bella...

...And Bella chewed her lower lip, thinking. Months ago, when Edward proposed Carlisle to remove the _creature_ from her, Esme sided with her to protect an unborn Renesmee and as soon as she did, Carlisle dropped the idea since he would never act against Esme's will but..._now What? _

"She's not the spawn of evil, is she?" Bella's eyes questioned Carlisle as she nodded towards the sleeping figure of Renesmee. "We're sitting here exposing all our pessimism…We're more than a coven, we're a family." She stared at him solemnly. "And we protect our family." She repeated the same words she once heard coming from him. "You said so, when I wasn't even one of you."

Her words struck him; everyone.

"The hell with the Volturi." Emmett smiled with confidence at Bella's words. "We'll kick their golden butts." He went to stand behind Esme's chair, defending his position. "Plus, we need more kids. It was 'bout time somebody scored again around here. Good job, Carlisle!"

"If it helps, I don't think the baby will be deadly powerful when having you as parents." Jasper told Carlisle with genuineness. "Unlike what happened with Renesmee, your offspring is not biting Esme to death from the inside."

"...and it's not like you both have the most intimidating supernatural abilities." Edward added with a lovely chuckle.

"Thank you Edward." Esme couldn't help but to smile at her son's comment.

Carlisle looked down at the floor, thinking. For the first time, his coven was standing against him.

And as more lightning struck the surroundings, he left the room without a word.

The lights of the house blinked as he did.

_It wasn't going to be a good night._

* * *

_Yes, Carlisle needs a good slap. Esme will probably give him a couple on the next update, which hopefully will be finished earlier than expected. ;)_

_Thanks a lot for reading. :D_

_PS- Still working on Sweet Temptations; pondering if it's worth continuing it or not._


	13. Lovely Blue

_-First of all: w__ords simply aren't enough to express my_ _gratitude_ and thanks for all the support you have given to all my stories. Just yesterday, I realized they were nominated again in the Sunflower Awards. Also the banner for Little Butterfly, made by **Mackenzie L**. was nominated too. I'm moved and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. ´

_To nominate and vote your favorite Twilight fics: www (dot) thesunflowerawards (dot) blogspot (dot) com You have until Midnight!... IMO Emmett & Rosalie need more nominations ;)_

___-Thank you **Mackenzie L.** for being such a wonderful beta!_

_Now, ready to give Carlisle a slap or maybe not? You decide...enjoy this one :)_

* * *

**Chapter XII**

**Lovely Blue**

She followed him of course. She always did.

_In good times and bad times._

Another bolt of lightning struck somewhere in the highway and the lights of the house blinked again before finally going out. Esme stepped out of the house into the enormous backyard that opened into the forest, ignoring Edward's warnings as he followed her a few steps under the heavy rain.

"You!" She told Edward as the heavy rain poured on her. "Stay here!"

She pulled out her shoes and tossed them carelessly to the side as the thick drops of stormy rain enveloped her completely in a cold mist. Then she began to walk, her eyes locked on the dark forest. She didn't have to call Carlisle's name to know where he was.

Edward and Bella had their meadow, Alice and Jasper loved to find refugee right under the shadow of an old tree in the backyard of their home, Rosalie and Emmett...well, they made everywhere they were their unique spot; particularly the couch in the TV room...and she and Carlisle, they would cuddle in a small space on top of the leafiest and strongest oak in the forest, one that had carved their names in a ridiculously corny heart their kids engraved in a tender joke when they discovered their little love shack.

The soles of Esme's feet began to feel strangely sensitive as she walked across the backyard into the dark forest. It was as if every single grass tickled her and the little sharp edges of hidden pebbles seemed to threaten to penetrate her skin. It was humid and cold – very cold. Nonetheless, she swung between the tall trees, stepping onto swamps of mud and pebbles. The well known path seemed longer under the weather conditions. Maybe it hadn't been a good idea to follow him after all... _The three-hundred and sixty year old patriarch of the family was such a baby sometimes... However, this time it was a very delicate issue._

A little tickle inside her womb made Esme stop in her tracks, reminding her that walking through a thunderstorm in her state was putting her at a higher risk. Her thought arrived too late, though, since an extremely powerful bolt of lighting struck, stabbing a helpless pine right next to her. Her acute senses failed to react in time, and the released energy sent her body backwards with terrible strength, but fortunately and unknowingly, right into the arms of her sought love.

"What do you think you are doing?" Carlisle held her in shock.

The rain poured upon them, falling hard amongst the trees around them.

Esme quickly turned around, leaving with irritation the warmness of his safe embrace and almost immediately, the fingers of her hands curled into fists before giving one demanding hit against his chest.

"Why are you doing this to me?" She tried to look at him under the heavy drops of water between their faces.

He pulled her under the safe branches of the closest tree before pressing her against the trunk of the oak. Their oak. _He was angry._

"Doing this to you?" Carlisle asked, absolutely baffled.

"None of them..." He pointed towards the house standing in the distance. "None of them saw you the way I did back in the morgue years ago!" His voice resounded among the dripping noise of the rain.

His voice was the one that was broken now; pure fear invading his soul.

She stood in shock as the rain kept soaking them mercilessly.

_It was clear._

He was afraid, afraid of losing her in the process. She tried to breathe in a little, for the sake of their child that seemed to be craving the oxygen in the air...but it was getting harder; the cold weather was freezing her lungs, her bones. "I'm already dead Carlisle..." Slowly, she tried to take one of his hands. "We both are."

But he stepped back, shaking his head in disagreement as he looked down at her bare feet sinking in a mess of mud, woody plants and branches.

He opened his lips to differ but she moved forward to place her fingers on them, preventing him from spilling more of that medical nonsense.

"I know you enough to know you want this too." She shivered from the cold, and a curious steam came out her lips... Noticing it, Carlisle pulled her against his body. His strong arms embraced her shivering figure and she buried her face into his chest. "It's good; I know you can feel it, too...please."

He tried to swallow hard his frightful thoughts. "I fear for you." His fingers went to cradle her face. "This is not normal."

She tried to smile a little, her loving gaze bearing an obvious response. "Who said we were?"

He smiled faintly at her observation._ That was the problem; there was no background of something like this happening. Two vampires conceiving a ...little someone __– __no precedent, no knowledge whatsoever. What would come next?_

"Have a little faith." Her hand suddenly clutched his shirt as she involuntarily closed her eyes and the softest little sneeze escaped out her lips.

Carlisle frowned. _Sneezing, a brand new trait._ "This is exactly why I am concerned." He encircled her waist to lift her body from the cold, moistened ground. "Get on my back, spider monkey."

"Now you want to be sociable?" She embraced his shoulders as he helped Esme to position herself on his back.

"I just want to get you back home. We will continue this discussion there." He started walking at a rapid human-pace with Esme hugging his back.

"We have nothing to discuss." Esme spoke into his ear as the rain kept falling harshly on both of them. "I'm having our baby." She immediately buried her face on the neck of his shirt to sneeze again.

_Our baby._ He didn't say anything, nothing he'd say would convince her the other way, and to be honest... he wanted to have _their _baby too but his fears were choking his soul at the possibility of something happening to her, something critical. He wasn't going to be able to intervene if complications emerged during the pregnancy or the birth.

"Doctor Cullen scored after 90 years." She smiled, dropping her head back, allowing the rain to fall carelessly on her face as they followed the path back home.

Her comment sent Carlisle into the most stunning realization. For the first time in about three hundred and sixty years, he was about to become a _dad_. A little hope invaded him:_What if everything turned out fine?_

"I'm going to have to keep you under observation from now on, every day." He suddenly found himself blurting out. And he felt her body tense with happiness and joy in that moment. She leaned in to drop a kiss on his cheek. "You need a new diet – a double diet like the one I made for Renesmee...and I must take note of its development, compare it..." His mind was beginning to build up a medical scheme for her. "I'm examining you as soon as we get back."

A half naughty smile appeared on her face and her arms embraced him a little bit tighter. "Now why that does sound so dirty?"

"Esme..." He laughed softly as they entered the terrace of their backyard. Carlisle stood straight under the safe roof of their porch, allowing her to stand on the floor all by herself. "I'm going to be professional." He cuddled her.

Her smile widened. "That sounds even dirtier." She laughed quietly.

And he couldn't help but to chuckle too. "Where is the innocent girl I once married?" He enfolded his arm around her waist as they entered the warmth of the dark house. The lights were still out, but they were finally safe.

"I don't know." Esme shrugged. "I think you corrupted her on our wedding night."

Carlisle chuckled even more pulling her right into his arms, although then his smile faded in the warm darkness of their living room. "I'm afraid." His lips tensed at the mention of the phrase.

Her big, beautiful, entrancing eyes stared at him with tenderness and mellow wisdom. "Don't be." She softly shook her head. Her cold, wet fingers caressed the contour of his face. "We are having a baby." She whispered with the most beautiful smile he had ever seen on her.

He smiled too. _They were going to have a baby. _"We are having a baby." He repeated, as if trying to comprehend the vastness of those words and a sense of excited happiness took over him. He suddenly found himself holding her tightly against him, nuzzling her and inevitably seeking to touch her lips with his. The curves of her body had changed, he knew them so well and now they felt marvelously different against his body. The little one was making its presence not only felt but also seen. He pulled apart slightly, just enough to place his palm on her stomach...and that little someone tickled.

She cuddled his hand on her belly. "...moves a lot." She whispered.

"Like you?" He faked an apprehensive frown. "I hope it won't be a tree climber."

Esme leaned into his arms with a soft chuckle.

"Oh, good." Rosalie raised her eyebrows as she pointed the light of a flashlight toward their faces when entering the room. "Mama and Papa are being friendly again."

Another flashlight reflected at them too but remained pointing particularly at Carlisle's face, who tried to block the light with his hand. "Alice, would you mind..."

"Your eyes, too!" Alice silvery bell-like voice tinkled loudly against everyone's ears and all of a sudden Esme pulled away from her husband to get a better look.

The three women stood there in pure disbelief.

"Fixed!" Emmett's voice resounded somewhere in the third floor as the lights turned back on.

"Lovely blue." Rosalie finally remarked as they admired Carlisle's icy blue gaze, a gaze that hadn't been seen since the 17th century.

* * *

_Some of you might be confused but you'll figure out why it happened in the next updates or maybe you can start guessing now..._

_And thank you all for taking your time in reading and nominating this story...Oh! Sweet Temptations was updated yesterday night. :)_

_Happy weekend!_


	14. Don't Tell Emmett

_Big thanks to you **Mackenzie **for taking your time in correcting this one._

_And big thanks to you, awesome reader for continuing to read and review this story, you make my day._

_Now, time to learn a bit more about this Little Butterfly..._

* * *

**Chapter XIII**

**Don't Tell Emmett**

_If anyone desires a wish to come true they must  
capture a butterfly and whisper that wish to it._

_Since they make no sound, they can't tell the wish  
to anyone but the Great Spirit._

_So by making the wish and releasing the butterfly  
it will be taken to the heavens and be granted._

_~Native American Indian Legend_

Tulips. She loved tulips and sunflowers. Carlisle recalled her filling the garden of their house in Ithaca with dozens of them, and now he wanted to accuse the nonexistent hormones in her body of her sudden, bizarre desire to fill part of their backyard with them. Something they both knew to be useless in a rainy town like Forks.

She had been dreaming of tulips - tulips and butterflies and so had he.

_Dreaming_. It still sounded strange.

Esme had fallen asleep from time to time ever since their stunning discovery...and Carlisle had fallen asleep by her side too. It was odd, bizarre and extremely peculiar. Fortunately, no other alarming incident had occurred after the night when his body seemed to absorb her partial humanity. His eyes went from icy blue back to their usual golden in just a few minutes. Still, his having fallen asleep was another unusual curiosity.

Four days had passed, and the little one had grown considerably, forcing Esme's tender state to show. And that afternoon, Carlisle couldn't stop staring at her from his sitting place on a comfortable armchair across the living room. The image was enchanting, it was as if he were experiencing one of those peculiar dreams. Esme was sitting on a wooden stool in front of a canvas, with the moon already shaped on her womb filled with life. Her fingers held skillfully a brush whose tip was giving delicate strokes to her new creation. She hadn't painted since 1930, the year followed by the Wall Street crash, when for the sake of the most needed ones, she left her paintings to do some charity work. Yet ninety years later, Emmett, Edward and Jasper unearthed her old art supplies out of somewhere in the basement and there she was, trying to convince herself that painting her house surrounded by tulips and butterflies was a better idea than planting them.

She stopped her work for a moment, to stare at her creation with a frown. Nessie, who was standing by her side with a brush in her hand too, shook her head disapprovingly. "More tulips, here." The little girl pointed to an empty corner of the green garden in the painting.

"...and more butterflies here." Esme agreed, pointing to the very blue pastel oil sky.

And they both continued sprinkling the canvas with lively colourful flowers and butterflies. Carlisle lips curled into a warm smile. His wife and granddaughter were a lovely duo, hard to resist watching.

One more time, his eyes made an effort to focus on his annotations. He was studying, comparing, calculating and making deductions out of all the information he gathered from both Bella and Esme's pregnancies. It was a little difficult though, since Esme had been refusing his 'professional examination' due to the fact that he was her husband.

"_I know your body better than you think." _He remembered telling her, trying to convince her.

"_Yes, but your knowledge is something you built under different circumstances." She smirked, drawing the line __before __him. _

It was going to be hard to convince her, but he was determined to do so. His Esme was lovely and lively but a little stubborn when it came to a few things.

"YES!" Emmett and Jasper jumped triumphantly out of the sofa in front of the TV, just a few steps away from them, interrupting the serene scene. "Why the hell is Edward taking so long? He is missing the best part of the game!" Emmett stared at the opened front door across the living room, through which Rosalie and Bella walked in, joining the two boys in front of the TV.

"He must be taking his time." Rosalie shrugged, snuggling against her husband.

"When is it coming?" Nessie arched her eyebrows questioningly at Esme, and she knew her granddaughter wasn't asking about Edward. Nessie immediately turned her face to look at Carlisle, whose eyes were again on the lovely pair. "Pop, when is the baby going to come?" She then sprinted towards Carlisle, who immediately left his annotations on the table by his side to pull her into an embrace.

"When?" She giggled when he made a face, pretending she was extremely heavy to carry in his arms. "Papa!" She laughed, and her little hands clasped one of his arms, demanding a prompt answer.

A smile spread across his lips before answering. "Soon."

"How soon?" She cocked her head to a side.

"She won't be giving up until you tell her." Esme smiled in delight, still focused on the butterflies of her painting.

Carlisle hesitated before saying it out loud. For him, it was still something difficult to process. Just like Bella's pregnancy, Esme's was advancing at approximately one trimester per week. "Most likely in two weeks, maybe later or maybe earlier." The last two words came out in almost a murmur, it was indeed soon. _Too soon. _

But Nessie didn't vacillate to burst in joy with no restraint. She clapped with elated enthusiasm, something that painted smiles on the ones who were around her. She had such a beautiful way of seeing the world, with the eyes of a child: simple, innocent and affectionate.

_So much like Esme. _Carlisle smiled.

"It's going to be my best friend!" Nessie said out loud. The idea of having someone younger than her in the family was something thrilling.

"I thought Jacob was your best friend." Esme stopped working on her artwork, enchanted by her granddaughter's words.

"Oh he is!" Nessie began to play with her bracelet. "But he is a grown-up...and the baby is going to be my age soon, right?"

Carlisle gave her an uncertain nod. "It will depend on how fast or how slow it will grow up."

But that didn't matter to Nessie, she was going to love it from the bottom of her heart anyway. She tucked one of her arms around Carlisle's neck and he certainly knew that another question was about to come.

"Do you want it to be a boy or a girl?" She asked. Her little mind was indeed full of questions but that was one of the most important ones.

It suddenly hit both Carlisle and Esme, who exchanged bemused looks. Their minds had been too busy, immersed in the rapidness of the matter, concerned about the strange occurrences...That they forgot about the little details, the silly, beautiful ones that most expectant parents normally awaited to rejoice in, little details like the sex of their baby.

"I know what it's going to be." Alice appeared at the top of the stairs and began her way downstairs with a mischievous, winning smile drawn on her face.

Her parents turned to look at her with deep curiosity. For the first time in decades, since the very first day she appeared knocking at their door revealing her wonderful gift, both Carlisle and Esme looked at her daughter with pure wonder.

"But I won't be telling." Alice let out a daring giggle. "I don't want to jinx it."

"Just tell them it's a boy." Emmett's voice echoed out loud from his sitting place on the comfy sofa in front of the TV. "It's five versus four already, it's going to be our much needed balance in this house of... women."

His comment was followed by a couple of s_hut ups _and a few flying cushions landing hard on his head courtesy of Bella, Rosalie and the newly arrived Alice who sat happily on the carpeted to floor to watch the game with them.

But Carlisle stared at his wife, spellbound at the sole idea, and Esme couldn't help but look at him with loving eyes, knowing his mind was cradling the images of their future son. They were both gleaming with joy.

An inevitable warm feeling began to spread inside Carlisle. _A son. _

"We'll name him after you." Esme said with loving tenderness and Carlisle couldn't help but to let out a smug smile, filled with utter pride.

_A little boy with his name._ Contemplating the idea alone, was extraordinarily moving.

"I don't want to ruin the _Kodak moment_." Emmett spoke. "But don't we have enough with one Carlisle in the family?"

"You are annoying." Nessie left Carlisle's embrace, determined to scold Emmett...and taking advantage of that move, Esme left her painting to join her husband in the armchair.

He immediately made a space for her to cuddle up against him. Carlisle's heart swelled with incredible tenderness as he enclosed her in his arms. "We'll take him to our baseball games." He breathed against the top of her head.

Esme closed her eyes, snuggling even more against him. "Uh-huh, and you'll teach him how to hit."

"And we'll teach him to cheat." Emmett grinned, elbowing a very smiley Jasper. Nessie frowned, poking her uncle's shoulder with her index finger as a warning to behave himself.

Edward finally appeared, walking into the spacious living room with a phone in his hand. "They confirmed it." He told Carlisle, waving the phone at him. "Eleazar and Carmen will be arriving tomorrow, midday."

Carlisle nodded as Esme's body tensed in his arms. Three days earlier, they had called Eleazar. Esme's physicality was still oscillating between vampire and human features, and it was somehow comprehensible as she was the one who ingested the herbs... But the reaction Carlisle's body had was something that surpassed the limits of their common logic, therefore, seeking a different source of knowledge was the most reasonable thing to do. The only source of knowledge among the ones of their world they could truly trust were The Denalis. Carlisle hadn't told Eleazar the reason of the personal 'urgent situation' but Carlisle assured him that it was something beyond comprehension and of course, Eleazar agreed to assist his old friend with no hesitation.

Esme breathed heavily, embracing herself.

"Hey." Carlisle tried to comfort her by caressing lazy circles on her back. "It's going to be fine."

But no matter what he said, her eyes still showed apprehension. He leaned to press a kiss on her forehead. "It's just..." She took a deep breath as an irrational angst took over her heart. "I have a bad feeling about this." She left the safety of his embrace to stand by the window wall. Grey clouds were beginning to cover the sky.

Unexpectedly, a little white butterfly appeared, dancing in the air outside and fearlessly landed on the clear glass, as if staring at the puzzled vampire. It was just like the ones she had seen in her dream.

"Eleazar has experience in certain areas that we don't." Carlisle stood by her side, placing his arm around her shoulders. The little butterfly remained standing on its spot. So little, so frail, and extremely beautiful.

Alice stood behind them. She was a little concerned too - visions had invaded her sight but they all changed, they were all unsteady like the future before them. "Eleazar is going to be a little startled at first." She tried to pass on a tiny breath of confidence even though there was some information she had to keep for herself, for Carlisle and Esme's sake. She eyed Edward, who gave her an approving gaze. "But he will be supportive." Alice assured them.

The sound of a thunder announced the arrival of a new storm and the little butterfly fluttered its wings, flying away, surely to find refuge somewhere in the garden, somewhere in the forest. Esme's gaze softened as she watched it fly into the distance. That beautiful, tiny being was the only foreign creature that had witnessed her state. Esme had been confined to her house all week for her own protection. No one could see her, not even human eyes, otherwise they would speak of her secret, and the news falling into wrong ears would be extremely dangerous.

Another clap of thunder echoed in the distance.

"It's show time." Jasper tossed a baseball to Emmett who caught it skillfully. The rest of the family stood ready to leave as planned for some baseball fun. Though, it was difficult to think about fun when the heart of the family was preoccupied.

"Go ahead." Carlisle spoke. "Have a good time." He wasn't going to leave her alone anyway.

And standing behind the glass, Carlisle and Esme saw their family disappear into the depths of the forest. Alice was the only one who remained standing behind them, as if waiting for something. Both Carlisle and Esme turned around to look at their daughter but her eyes were still looking behind them, out the glass wall, focused on the invisible path her brothers and sisters had followed into the forest.

Once they were out of sight, she spoke. "I think you should know something." Alice got closer to them, tilting her head but never losing eye contact with her parents, who knew for sure that she was about to make a very vital revelation.

A second later, Alice's lips moved, letting out words whose sound could barely be heard.

"It's not a boy." She said and then immediately flashed to stand by the front door. "Just don't tell Emmett!" She gave them a smile that bubbled straight from her heart before walking out of the house.

And Carlisle and Esme just stood there in stillness, with their fingers linked together, staring blankly at the now closed door.

* * *

_Hope you liked it and ...Shh! Don't tell Emmett!_

_Again thank you so much for continuing to read and review, not only you make my day but also are a great motivation. =)_

_Voting is now open for the Sunflower Awards. Thanks to you, this story, Sweet Temptations and Our Midnight Waltz are among the nominees. If you want to vote, be sure to check out the link in my profile._

_Happy weekend & Happy mother's day to all Twilight moms. =)_


	15. The Most Precious Gift

_To the ones who haven't read Breaking Dawn and sent some questions - Renesmee develops both physically and mentally pretty fast. She was born at aprox. 4 weeks after her conception and in about seven years of life, she is supposed to reach the age of seventeen. Why? Because she is in part daughter of a vampire: Edward. (Bella was still a human when little Renesmee was conceived.)_

_Note for this chapter: Carmen and Eleazar are the heads of the Denali Family/Coven. They are gentle, kind and share the Cullen's lifestyle -Peace & Love: compassionate towards humans, vegetarian vampires-. Eleazar was once part of the Volturi guard but ever since he madly fell in love with Carmen, he left them. Eleazar has the talent of perceiving other vampires abilities._

_**Big thanks** to my wonderful beta **Mackenzie L.**_

_And please, don't hate me after this update ;)_

* * *

**The Most Precious Gift**

The hands of the tall Grandfather clock in the living room seemed to spin faster every minute, getting closer to the expected hour when their guests would arrive. Every hour its clanking bells announced the pass of time, and every hour Esme wished she could grab a hammer and smash the antique into chips.

But this would make Carlisle incredibly upset, as the clock in question was one he had happily brought along with them from their last visit to London, in the hopes that it would help his wife decorate their living room.

Defeated by the pass of time, Esme stood up from her vanity table. She knew Eleazar and Carmen very well. They were like family to her, but she kept thinking that something negative would come out of their meeting. It was pure intuition. She nervously brushed out the absent wrinkles from her dress before walking to stand before the mirror.

During their last trip to Port Angeles, her daughters managed to buy her two beautiful maternity dresses. One in a very soft shade of pink Alice had chosen – only she and God knew the reason behind the color – and a navy blue coloured one that Rosalie and Bella agreed was Esme's color now that her eyes were arbitrarily fluttering from piercing gold to dark blue every once in a while.

She had chosen to wear the navy blue dress to greet their guests that afternoon. Esme cocked her head to a side, leaving her worries behind and wondering as one of her hands went to caress her protruding baby belly. _Would her baby's eyes be blue too? _

In that moment, Carlisle appeared by the door, admiring the enchanting view. It took him only half a second to move up behind her and tenderly slide his arms around her waist to hug her against him.

"The most beautiful sight I have ever beheld." He buried his face in the side of her neck, relishing in her natural fragrance as she closed her eyes, enjoying that little moment too.

"Would you like to..." He began to leave a sweet little trail of kisses around her neck, deciding to tease her a little, knowing how stressed she was. "...play backgammon?"

Esme giggled, trying hard not to melt in his arms. He knew very well that kissing her neck would instantly make surrender her to him. "I'm not falling..."

He clicked his tongue in fake disappointment, seeing that he'd been rejected. "But board games are very healthy." His hands went to tenderly rest on her stomach and hers cradled his with much affection. They stared at each other through the mirror, and suddenly board games were out of Carlisle's mind at the view of this perfect picture. Who would have thought after all these years that the good Lord would bless them with a child, a child of their own. Only two things were left to make this a marvelous miracle: a perfect birth and a healthy, normal baby.

"How are you feeling?" He rested his chin on her shoulder, his hands still on her stomach, trying to feel their unborn sleepy daughter.

"Good." She looked down at her stomach. "Feels a little heavy this morning."

"It's growing very fast." He caressed her stomach with loving care and then a little stir inside could be felt. He smiled. "I'm still amazed how your body is compliant to accommodate _her_."

Esme pursed her lips, trying to avoid a smile at the sound of the word "_her"._ He didn't need to say it and they hadn't spoken about it, but ever since Alice made her charming revelation, Carlisle had been beyond ecstatic. In the past few hours, his obsession about studying her pregnancy had diminished and the sweetest displays of affection were coming through his touch. All night long as they slept, his arms embraced her protectively and his palms sought to feel the gentle jolts of their unborn baby girl.

Without even thinking about it, Esme turned her face to leave a soft kiss on his cheek. "Happy?" she asked in almost a whisper.

"Very much indeed." He gave her a warm smile.

She turned around to cuddle in his arms. "Not concerned anymore?" she asked as one of her hands travelled up to fix up his already perfectly arranged hair.

His gaze tensed a little. "I'm happy but concerned." His hand ran up to get lost among her soft waves of caramel hair. "I'm sorry, I can't help myself," he whispered as he rested his forehead against hers. Instinctively, they both closed their eyes. "If I'd lost you, there'd be no sun in my life, and... without a sun there is no life."

"Oh Carlisle..." She embraced him tightly. There were no words that could possibly express how much she loved him. "My love for you is stronger than words can say," she whispered into his chest.

He pulled away a little to look into her teary eyes. "I pray to the Lord everyday to keep you and our little miracle safe until the end, and I want to believe He will."

Esme gave her husband a timid smile. "Me, too."

"I'm very sorry to interrupt you." Edward appeared, standing by their door, truly touched by the display of love he was sure the entire family heard. "But we'd better go downstairs; they are about to arrive." He gave them a caring look and was about to walk away, when he stopped on his tracks to look back at them, letting out a chuckle. "_She_ likes it when you do that...When you hug each other." Edward smiled. "It makes her feel safe."

"She?" Emmett's voice echoed down the hall. "Who said it's a _she_?"

Exactly five seconds later, the clanking bells of the grandfather clock announced the hour of noon and as predicted, the sound of tires coming down the Cullens' driveway could be clearly heard. Carmen and Eleazar had arrived.

**o)O(o**

Their approaching steps not only made Esme uneasy but also affected the rest of the family, who was waiting along with her in the living room. They all stood in different places all over the room, waiting for the couple in question to knock at their door but when Carlisle decided to walk towards it to receive their guests, Esme's anxiety got the best of her, sending her bolting out of the living room and into the kitchen.

Almost immediately, Edward discouraged Carlisle from following his anxious mother. "I'll go. You'd better receive our guests."

And so Carlisle went to open the door of their home and there they were - the Denalis - just as striking as usual, with the gentlest smiles on their faces.

Though bearing almost three-hundred years of life on earth, Carmen and Eleazar looked as youthful as Carlisle and Esme, and shared their same kindness and gentle manner.

"My friend!" Eleazar said as he and Carlisle each gave the other welcoming pats on the back.

_Ah,_ no matter the reason behind their visits, whether it was to fight a threat or simply to celebrate a wedding, to Carlisle it always felt great to receive them in his house. After all, they were like family.

"It's always good to see family." Carlisle gave Eleazar and Carmen a greeting smile as he invited them in.

"We came as fast as we could," Carmen said with the biggest of all smiles as Alice and Rosalie approached her to give her a welcoming hug.

"As soon as you mentioned that it was an emergency, we rushed." Eleazar exchanged nods with Emmett and Jasper as he walked into the spacious living room. "Tanya, Kate and Garret send you all the most affectionate greetings." He finally found himself standing before Bella and Renesmee, who was clutching her momma's hand. He leaned over to take a better look at the little girl that a few months ago he had the pleasure to meet as a toddler. "Well who do we have here?" Eleazar smiled.

Renesmee giggled, hiding her face behind Bella's hand.

"She has grown so much!" Carmen exclaimed. "_Bebe linda_, come here with me." She opened her arms to Nessie who right away went into the loving embrace of the first and only vampire out of the Denali family who realized that she wasn't an immortal child.

"She is not a _bebe_ anymore..." Eleazar gave Renesmee a caring wink. "She is now a _niña linda." _Nessie beamed in return.

"She will always be a _bebe_ to me." Carmen scooped Renesmee up in her arms, just like the day when they first met, cuddling her with loving affection.

"So, Carlisle…" Eleazar took a look around, quickly noticing two Cullens were missing. "Where is the rest of the family? I hope the urgent situation is not related to them."

"Eleazar." Edward walked out the kitchen door just in time, giving him a greeting nod. "Carmen, you look good." He smiled at the sight of his _aunt_ holding Nessie in her arms.

Carmen only managed to smile as her eyes were still glued on Nessie, who was touching her face, surely telling Carmen so many wonderful things through her marvelous touch…

Carlisle only managed to look at Edward as if expecting a hint from his son regarding Esme. Thankfully, Edward blinked at him as an indication of reassurance. Then Carlisle finally spoke.

"The reason why I called you is because Esme is experiencing a very delicate condition."

"Is she alright?" Eleazar frowned in concern. Carmen suddenly raised her eyes, noticing indeed that Esme was the only one missing - strange thing since Esme never left Carlisle's side.

"I think it will be better if you see it with your own eyes." It took Carlisle just a few seconds to bring Esme out of the kitchen. He found her leaning on the counter, her arms crossed above her chest, looking like a terrified child. In the most tender way, he took her hand, entwining his fingers among hers in signal of encouragement to then pulled her along with him into the living room. The eyes of the entire family were on them and so were Carmen and Eleazar's gazes, which inevitably landed on Esme's pregnant stomach.

There was a small pause of silence that allowed the sounds of the forest to sneak into the room.

The Spanish vampires simply stood there, still and speechless, looking like the ancient Roman statues at the Louvre. The only movements in that picture came from Nessie's blinking eyes as the little girl was still sitting on Carmen's arms.

Eleazar finally opened his mouth to speak, completely taken aback by the view before his eyes. "If it's a joke, I'm not finding it amusing, Carlisle."

"It's not a joke," Esme said softly. Her beautiful voice disclosed her apprehension. She felt Carlisle's hand slide behind her waist in comfort.

"Lord of all heavens…" Carmen whispered, letting Nessie down to finally stand on her own. It took Carmen just a few seconds to regain composure and right away, she took a few steps towards Esme. Her perplexed and protective husband followed her almost immediately.

"My friend…" Eleazar spoke to Carlisle once he was standing before Esme. "Every time you call for an emergency, I find myself witness of the most peculiar situations."

Carmen brought her hand to her chest as if trying to calm the emotions flowing in her soul. Her eyes were suddenly adoring Esme's figure. "But how?" She asked absolutely amazed.

"The traditional way…" Edward smirked as he placed his arm around Bella's shoulders. "…Accidentally spiced with some outlandish herbs."

"We never meant it to happen… It's a long story." Carlisle tried to explain as a very thrilled Carmen was about to place her hand on Esme's stomach, but Eleazar prevented her from doing so by taking her hand in a very subtle way. He had a good reason to do so.

"Well, I have all the eternity to listen." Eleazar raised his brows expecting a further explanation.

**o)O(o**

They sat together in the living room and Esme told her story one more time. How the gypsy gave her the strange herbs in a gesture of appreciation and how ever since, her body began to experience the strangest reactions - humanlike reactions - to then later find out that she and Carlisle had conceived a child of their own.

"It's extraordinary." Eleazar stood from his seat and began to pace the room in a meditative way. "Many have tried to find a way but were unsuccessful, The Volturi included. They have spent years researching for the sake of their wives." He stopped to look at Carlisle with concern. "You must keep Esme safe; the Volturi must not know. They would snatch her and the child right away without a second thought."

A tense atmosphere invaded the room.

"We are taking all the measures at our hand to keep her safe." Uneasy, Carlisle stood by the ticking grandfather clock.

Eleazar nodded. "Good, because the child is gifted."

Eleazar's ability to identify special gifts of other vampires recognized the baby's capabilities as soon as he got close enough to Esme.

His words were like a bucket of cold water that made the Cullens exchange awkward gazes. They weren't expecting such a shocking kind of revelation. Alice was the only one who looked down at the carpeted floor, chewing her lower lip, feeling a little guilty. That was the part she had seen in her vision, the part she had avoided telling Carlisle and Esme the day before.

Esme embraced herself as a cold shudder enveloped her. The anxiety she had been trying to conceal during the past few minutes began to build up in her with intensity. "How can it be gifted if it isn't one of us _per se_?" she whispered.

"I wish I knew the answer," Eleazar told her with all honesty. "But I don't sense any trace of blood within you or the child; it could very well be one of us."

"Have you been able to see the child in the future, Alice?" Carmen interrupted, as puzzled as the rest of the family.

Alice entwined her hands nervously. She felt Jasper's hand on her back, a sign that he was already using his ability to control the strong emotions floating in the air. "Yes, I have," she replied. "But there was no glimpse of _her_ being dangerous...only special, very special." She turned to look at her parents like a little girl who had not been completely honest.

Carlisle pressed his lips into a tight, thin line as he gathered the nerve to ask. "What kind of gift are we talking about, Eleazar?" His voice let out a noticeable concern.

"The one that just made Esme's eyes change their color." Just before Eleazar, Esme's eyes muted from their usual piercing gold to a dark blue tone...then went back to gold. He smiled at his correctness. "It is the most unique, precious gift I've ever seen," he told them. "That little one is capable of giving us our humanity back for a moment."

"What?" Rosalie's jaw seemed to drop at the meaning of those words.

Again the room was filled with an awkward silence, as feelings of hope and fear began to float in the air.

"That explains it all," Bella muttered, looking very surprised at Esme.

"Has anyone else experienced it?" Eleazar inquired.

Carlisle's brow furrowed in clear concern. "Only Esme and I." And noticing the look of shock on Esme's face, he went to sit by her side, taking her hand in his. She only leaned her head against his shoulder.

"Well, I'm sure that if anyone here tries to give Esme a long hug, he or she will experience the same _magic_." Eleazar nodded.

"It's probably a tactile talent." Carmen whispered. "That is so wonderful."

"And very dangerous." Jasper suddenly spoke. "A talent like that falling into the wrong hands would be devastating." And everyone knew whose _hands_ he was referring to. "It would be easier to exterminate vampires by turning them into humans first."

"Yes indeed and so much more..." Eleazar agreed. "Carlisle, once it is born, the existence of the child must be kept in secret."

Carlisle brought his hand to rest on his mouth; he was already reflecting on the same issues. _A way to hide his little daughter…__Who would have thought?_ The idea hadn't crossed their minds before but it was evident that a another child couldn't be seen with them, she could logically be mistaken by an immortal child and her sentence of death would be already written. Moreover, her ability placed her in the most dangerous position…but the most important part - the little one's origin could not be revealed.

It wasn't going to be an easy task.

"She can't be seen with us." Esme's words came out in a murmur, interrupting his thoughts. Her soul was suddenly a cluster of mixed emotions at the realization.

Edward's arm suddenly stiffened around Bella, who turned to look at him. His face was one of clear grief as he could perceive his mother's thoughts.

There it was - the horrible hunch that had been terrifying Esme's wits. "She can't be seen with us, and we can't keep her locked in a house." The conclusion at which she was about to arrive was heartbreaking. A terrible sadness threatened to choke her. "She can't stay with us."

**o)O(o**

And then in another house, somewhere in Forks, a man slid a ring on a woman's finger. The contrast of feelings radiating from both houses was noticeably different. Ones were of pure happiness and others of pure angst.

Two houses, two couples and three families that were bound to be united one more time for the well-being of an unborn child.

* * *

Any thoughts? Do you want to smash me like the Grandfather Clock? Little Butterfly is special, what is going to happen to her?

Thank you for the nominations to the Avant Garde & Sunflower awards. Don't forget to cast your vote for the Carlisle and Esme fanfics! xD

PS- Sweet Temptations will be updated on Monday.

And... Thank you so much for reading.*hugs* :)


	16. Isabella Swan: The Masquerade

_Thank you Mackenzie L. for taking your time with correcting this one. :)_

_I'm crossing my fingers you won't find this update too crazy. I'm sure it's probably going leave some questions opened but I promise to answer them before the story ends, which is going to be in less than nine chapters, hopefully!_

_To the ones who haven't read Breaking Dawn:_

_An inmortal child is a human baby or child that was transformed into a vampire -they are terribly dangerous, considering that as children, they can't control their lust for blood. This is why the Volturi laws prohibit their creation, in fact they will -and have- executed the children and their creators in the past._

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**Chapter 16**

**Isabella Swan: The Masquerade**

Bella's hand swung against a tree. The powerful hit, filled with the intense frustration of a newborn, made the strong, immobile tree shake in its roots. "It is so unfair!" She spoke out loud to the tall pines around her, as if they could give her a response.

The six youngest members of the Cullen clan were reunited in the depths of the forest, brothers and sisters trying to find a way to help their parents do the needed to find a way to keep a most unique baby in the world, and most importantly, they needed to keep her a secret if they wanted to keep her in the family. Unfortunately, the risks were too high, and all feasible solutions placed the unborn child in grave danger. The hardest part was that both Carlisle and Esme preferred to give away their child in order to keep her safe rather than taking the hazardous risk. They could give her away, though only until she grew old enough not to be mistaken as an immortal child.

Edward only managed to look down at the ground, feeling guilty. He and Bella were able to keep their daughter and carry on with their lives solely because both Carlisle and Esme supported them. His parents travelled around the world in record time, looking for witnesses they knew would help their cause before the Volturi. They stood side by side with their son and his mate in trial, knowing very well that death was the imminent outcome…and now, neither Edward nor Bella were able to do anything for Carlisle and Esme in return.

"We must find a way to keep the baby with us." Bella looked at her husband with pleading eyes.

"She _is_ going to stay with us." Emmett shrugged, confident. "You heard Eleazar, she can easily be one of our kind. Who's going to want to take an immortal child?"

"It's not an immortal child!" Alice said exasperated. "She is just...different."

Jasper sat on a rock by her side, trying to understand Alice's visions by contrasting them with the evidence. "If she has no blood in her system, then she must be producing venom, Alice."

Alice turned to look at him, "She will be a healer, her venom won't be used to turn humans, but to heal the ones who were just bitten. It will also help the ones of our kind – the ones who'd like to feel human again…"

Suddenly all eyes were on Rosalie, whose hands were braiding her long blonde hair. She was, of course, completely aware of what Alice was insinuating. Esme and Carlisle's child was precious in every way, and Rosalie knew it could help her ... "I'm with Bella. We must find a way to keep her."

"Oh Rosalie..." Edward rolled his eyes. "Don't be so selfish."

"I'm not only thinking about me!" Rosalie hissed. "Carlisle and Esme are my parents too; their happiness is important to me. Do you know how much all this is affecting them?"

"Of course I do!" Edward took a step towards her. "It's affecting all of us! But we can't give ourselves the luxury of thinking that we should keep the child only because she is powerful. If she stays it'll be because we can ensure her protection...something we haven't been able to achieve."

Almost a week had passed since Carmen and Eleazar's visit, and the Cullens hadn't been able to figure out a way to prevent not only The Volturi but other vampires as well from learning that they had a new, very young addition to their coven. It was a hard thing to do, knowing they couldn't keep a child locked in a house for approximately seven years, the estimated time the baby would take to grow into a teenager.

They stayed in silence for a what seemed like an eternity until the sound of a police car coming closer to their territory called their attention. For an instant, everyone looked at each other speechless before rushing into a swift race across the forest towards the house. Another visit.

**o)O(o**

Sitting on their terrace wasn't something Carlisle would allow his wife to do due to the circumstances, but Esme didn't want to be inside the house - not anymore. The overwhelming sense of feeling trapped in her own home while trying to accept the idea of having to give away their baby was distressing and painful, not only to her but to Carlisle, too.

And even though it was risky, they had agreed to take a quick little break outside the house - a much needed one especially after that morning's episode when Esme woke up in the midst of a nightmare, feeling a throbbing pain on her lower back.

Much to Carlisle's surprise, the pain was a wonderful sign that Esme's body was preparing for labour. It was inevitable - the day was coming closer whether they wanted it or not - and they still hadn't found a way to keep their daughter hidden from the world and close to their hearts. Earlier that week, Esme proposed taking her to the Isle but it was an obvious place to hide one of their own. She even suggested moving into the jungle... _Desperate thoughts full of futile hopes_.

Carlisle pulled her closer and she inevitably buried into the warmth of his body as they cuddled on the small sofa on their terrace.

"We'll figure out a way, I promise." He kissed her temple.

Her heart ached again. "That way is not going to include us, Carlisle." She paused at the strong jolts the little one was giving inside. "Not until she is at least fourteen or sixteen years old."

"I can assure you my love, that she will reach that age earlier than expected." He squeezed her hand in awkward reassurance, feigning an optimistic smile. Esme knew him so well. Carlisle was trying to be strong for her, but his eyes betrayed him.

"We need a name." He immediately changed the subject. It was far nicer to focus on the beautiful present than the unavoidable, distressing future. "You can't name her Carlisle anymore." He chuckled, embracing Esme's petite frame, unconsciously shielding her from the view of the birds on the trees.

His words brought an inevitable smile to her face, "…But Carlisle sounds girly too." Esme teased him, laughing softly when she felt his eyes piercing her face. "You choose one." She chewed her lower lip before wrapping her arms around his neck. "Choose an old fashioned one, like the one we would've chosen if she had been born back in 1922." She pressed her lips against his, leaving a sweet, tingling little kiss.

Carlisle smiled at the heavenly feeling she always managed to leave on his lips. "I'm good at old fashioned..." He leaned to capture her lips one more time, and she playfully tried to escape it but failed.

"I know." She giggled under his lips, even though their baby was demanding Esme's attention with painful little nudges.

"Someone is very active today..." His hand went to touch her stomach. It still amazed him that a little life was hidden inside her. His very own child, someone he never saw coming, not even in his dreams.

"She is..." Esme pressed her lips tightly, becoming a little concerned at the uncomfortable jolts and the growing pain enveloping her back and lower stomach...it felt strangely familiar. _It just couldn't be possible__..._it was too soon.

"How is your back?" Carlisle's hand went from her stomach to slide behind her back, wishing he could examine Esme further. His senses couldn't perceive the way they once did ever since his baby had touched him with her natural ability.

"Perfectly well." Esme smiled, trying to conceal her concern from him as she brought her hand up to mess up his hair, something she adored doing. "I guess it was just a morning thing."

"Esme!" Carlisle chuckled, trying to fix up his hair with his hand.

"Is anybody home?" A familiar voice called from across the garden.

Both Carlisle and Esme froze in shock. Not being able to hide as fast as they used to - since their human qualities had taken over them - Carlisle only managed to stand in front of his wife.

"Charlie?" Esme whispered hidden behind her husband. "What is he doing here?"

To Carlisle and Esme's dismay, Charlie appeared to have walked around the house. "Hey Doctor, I'm sorry to intrude." He looked overjoyed and absolutely oblivious to the fact that he was trespassing private property.

"Hello Chief." Carlisle smiled at him as Charlie walked closer to their terrace.

"Sorry, I was supposed to see Bella for a coffee this morning." Charlie stood right out of the terrace's deck as Carlisle slowly walked towards him, awkwardly followed by Esme who was trying to hide her figure from Charlie. "I need to talk to her, is she..." Interested, Charlie suddenly leaned to one side when he caught a glimpse of caramel hair behind Carlisle. "Esme?" He asked, a little amused by the fact that she was hiding behind her husband.

Esme only managed to poke her head to one side, giving him a lovely smile. "Hi, Charlie." She waved her hand.

Charlie chuckled a little. "Sorry, if I'm interrupting something..."

"Dad!" Bella appeared, walking out between the trees of the forest that stood a few yards behind the house. The rest of the family appeared, too, coming from different directions. "Dad, I called you this morning, waited for you at the cafe with Edward for almost an hour..." Bella immediately began to make conversation, knowing very well that it would distract Charlie so Esme could sneak away.

"I'm sorry Bella." Charlie began but he couldn't help getting a glimpse of Esme's figure as she and Carlisle turned around to leave, "Esme?" He said, a little perplexed. "Are you... pregnant?"

Both Carlisle and Esme stopped on their tracks as Bella chewed her lower lip. _Busted._

Inevitably, Esme nodded, finally showing her beautiful shape.

"Wow." Charlie raised his eyebrows surprised. "I had no idea, Bella never mentioned it." He eyed his daughter. "Congratulations." He nodded at Carlisle. "You do realise that now you have the largest family in town, don't you?" He asked Carlisle, who couldn't help but feel a sense of pride within.

"Sounds great." Carlisle chuckled, rubbing Esme's back - not because she needed it, but because _he _did; Charlie learning their secret was something Carlisle never expected to happen. At least it was Charlie, his son's father-in-law and not other... kind of being.

"Oh, yes!" Charlie smiled. "I have big news too." He looked solemnly at Bella.

Edward couldn't avoid a smile at the unimaginable.

"I'm getting married," Charlie told his daughter, who out of the blue entered in a partial state of shock and disbelief. Seconds later, Bella's lips finally managed to curl into a perfect 'o' before pronouncing a word. "Oh...wow, dad..." She wasn't expecting it. "That's...awesome, really." She went to gave him an awkward embrace.

"It's Sue." He told her with the most amazing smile she had ever seen on him. "Sue Clearwater."

"That's great Charlie." Edward gave him an encouraging smile and so did Esme, who was still under Carlisle's embrace, both surprised but happy for him, too.

"Thanks." Charlie nodded. "Would you like to go for a walk?" He asked Bella, who swallowed hard before nodding.

"Charlie..." Carlisle called him before he and Bella left for their private chat. "We would appreciate if you could keep Esme's pregnancy a secret for now." He asked. "You know, until..."

"Don't worry." Charlie said reassuringly. "But it's big news...Big."

"I know." Carlisle couldn't agree anymore.

**o)O(o**

Bella rubbed her eyes with the tips of her fingers. "I can't believe he is getting married." She whispered as she dragged a chair to sit by the living room table.

"I thought you didn't want him to be alone." Edward went to massage her shoulders in comfort.

"I don't." She shrugged. "It's just...I never thought he would find his special someone again, and Sue Clearwater...well, she is great."

"She is." Edward couldn't agree anymore. "You are going to be the only vampire in the world who will have two werewolves as step-siblings." He chuckled, amused at the prospect of Leah and Seth Clearwater - Sue's kids, part of Jacob's wolf pack - joining the family tree"

"How thrilling." Rosalie faked excitement in the most sarcastic manner. She went to sit on the sofa next to Esme, leaning her head against her mother's shoulder. Esme sweetly wrapped an arm around Rosalie in return.

"It's nice to know that your father will be in good company." Esme smiled at Bella. "Sue is a wonderful person."

"And maybe you'll have a little baby brother or sister, who knows?" Emmett teased her.

Little brother or...Bella only shook her head at the stupid comment, falling into deep thought. Soon they would be leaving for Alaska to pretend they were going to college but truly, they were going to start a new life there as planned, and Charlie was going to remain in Forks. She felt an inevitable pain in her heart, knowing very well that her time with her dad was coming to an end. _At least he was going to have Sue looking after him. They both would build a little family again_. Gloomy, Bella rested her chin on her crossed arms above the table, lost in the wacky thoughts that were building up in her head...and just in that moment Alice squealed in utter happiness.

"Oh Bella!" Alice had seen the future, a future Bella suddenly found herself building...and then it struck both of them.

The family looked perplexed from Bella to Alice, then Edward's mind read it all. "That's brilliant..."

"What?" Emmett frowned. "You and your damn telekinetic powers...what is it?"

"I think I found a solution." Bella looked surprised, turning to look at Carlisle and Esme. "We can disguise her!" She stood up from the table, a little too excited at the idea.

"Disguise her?" Carlisle's eyes showed the same confusion as Esme's.

"If the baby is rejecting blood, then she could pass like any other kid in town." Bella explained. "A child like any other. One that would go to school, have friends..." She looked at Edward for help.

Edward continued for her. "One that will have a normal family, too."

Carlisle and Esme still looked puzzled.

"You can let Charlie and Sue care for her until she grows up." Edward continued. "Sue has experience with...talented kids. Leah and Seth shape-shift before her eyes, and she is completely aware of who we are."

"What about Charlie?" Jasper found himself asking.

"He knows there's something going on with us but refuses to learn what it is." Bella shrugged. "He admitted it when he saw Renesmee for the first time. He couldn't figure out how I had a baby so fast and he was sure she was mine, not adopted."

"Oh, come on! That's a crazy idea." Emmett shook his head. "Even if they agree, our family name is going to give her away."

"She can't be a Cullen." Jasper spoke. "If you're planning to do this the right way, she can't be connected to us whatsoever."

"She won't be a Cullen..." Edward looked at Carlisle. It was difficult to talk to his father about it. "She'll be a Swan."

"She will be Isabella Swan." Alice blurted out, and as expected the family looked at her in surprise. "To the world, Charlie Swan lost his one and only daughter...and heartbroken, he adopted a new little one, naming her after Bella." She smiled. "Everyone would bite that story, the Volturi included."

They remained quiet, studying the idea, trying to find a weakness.

"But Isabella is a horrible name!" Emmett groaned, dropping his head backwards. "Poor kid!"

"And it's not practical." Jasper chuckled at Emmett's joke. "When she grows up we're going to have two girls with the same name in the coven."

"It'll all be a masquerade - just a cover name, not her real one." Alice shrugged and then chewed her lower lip, looking at her parents. "That is...if you agree..." She looked at Carlisle and Esme, who were trying hard to recognize the fact that they had finally found a solution. They'd supposed they would have to give their child away in the future, but now that they faced the moment of making this life changing decision, they were finding it much tougher than they had expected.

"Soon we'll be leaving for Alaska." Esme turned to look at her husband. "Does it mean we are going to have to leave her here?" Her heart began to painfully struggle with the idea. To Esme, keeping her family together was an unconditional, wholehearted task she had devoted herself to ever since she started to live with Carlisle and Edward. Her family had to remain together. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat as her stomach tensed for the fourth time in the afternoon, and the little baby painfully poked one more time.

Carlisle closed his eyes; his priority in that moment was to keep the youngest and most fragile of his daughters safe. Without giving it a second thought, he gave a soft nod of approval to the plan.

Edward walked closer to him. "We don't know how fast this baby is going to grow, but if she keeps this pace, my guess is that you will be able to have her back in three or four years." He looked at Esme, whose countenance showed the most heartbreaking grief. Edward leaned before her, taking one of her hands in his. "And she will be safe, in good hands."

Carlisle swallowed the heartache growing in his throat before speaking. "How are we going to proceed?"

"Billy Black, Jacob and Sue." Bella spoke. "We must talk to them, we need their support and protection."

"Wait, wait..." Emmett interrupted. He was playing devil's advocate, in truth because he didn't like the idea of leaving his little baby sister behind. "What makes you think your dad and Sue would want to take in a baby? I have an easier, better idea: why don't we keep her and dethrone the Volturi?"

"Sue is an elder of the Quileute council." Carlisle spoke. "I work with her in the hospital and she knows very well what we are. If I know her like I think I do, she will accept. She would never allow a child to bein harm's way. Her children went through the same."

To Esme, everything was just a horrible nightmare. She stood with difficulty as her family continued planning her baby's life. She didn't want to listen anymore. Feeling her aching body completely tense and tired and her baby daughter still demanding her attention, she walked away to take refuge in Carlisle's study. There, she stood before one of the large windows, looking out at the magnificent garden outside. Someone had followed her but he didn't make his entrance known until minutes later...

"She called me; she says I'm her favourite brother." Edward teased Esme, as he walked slowly into the study. Esme only smiled faintly, her eyes still observing the garden outside. She breathed heavily before speaking.

"I know it sounds selfish." She turned to look at him. "But is it that bad that I want to keep her with me forever no matter what?" Her voice broke.

Carlisle suddenly appeared, walking hastily into the room.

"No." Edward smiled. "It only makes you even more wonderful than you already are." He turned to look at Carlisle, who was holding back tears of terrible sadness in his eyes as he placed his hands on Esme's shoulders. His feelings were exactly the same as Esme's. They wanted to keep the little one with them no matter what. Their most selfish acts were based only on the pure love and devotion they held for every single one of their children, but this time, the sacrifice had to be made.

"Well," Edward looked away; the sadness was inevitably contagious. "Bella and I will be going to pick up Renesmee from Jacob's, and we'll talk to him." He was about to walk away but his feet didn't move.

"You should tell Carlisle." He told Esme, who looked away with apprehension. It was hard to hide something from Edward.

"Tell me what?" Carlisle looked from Edward to Esme, his brow expectantly furrowed.

"Your baby is coming..." Edward patted Carlisle's shoulder before leaving the room.

* * *

_I know the idea is insane, but please, bear with me, lol_

_I'm going to give you all teaser before you decide to rip me apart and burn the pieces for making Carlisle and Esme give away their baby: If they give the baby away, they are not going to have her back as a teen...could Carlisle and Esme really stand been far away from their baby daughter for so long? I don't think so... ;)_

_Thanks so much for reading, have an amazing week :)_


	17. Ella

_Congrats Mackenzie L! As some of you may know, an extract from "A Pair of Emerald Earrings" was read by actress Elizabeth Reaser (plays Esme Cullen in the Twilight Saga movies) in VH1's Big Morning Buzz. That is the most exciting thing ever and I'm so happy for you Macky! __Also, thank you for being an amazing beta and correct the twelve pages I wrote for this update: You are awesome!_

_On the other hand, if you are a Carlisle & Esme writer, take a look at the Summer Citrust Contest tiickledpink is hosting, she asked me to spread the word so, check out her profile!_

_Sorry about the delay with this one but I found myself rewriting it four times, lol..._

_Now, time to read!_

* * *

**Chapter XVII**

**Ella**

In the calmness of their room, Carlisle held his pocket watch as he had back during the old times when he would be called in the dark hours of the night to assist the births of children in the many different towns he had lived in. At first he aided the women alone, but once he married Esme, she went along with him whenever he was called. She had always loved children and adored babies more than words could tell. Her love was so powerful that it would suppress the despicable instincts their kind bore, allowing her to lend him a hand with ease.

His eyes focused on the hands of his old pocket watch as it measured the time it would take for the contraction to end, to then look at his beautiful Esme who was peacefully lying on their bed. He smiled at her and she smiled back. The memories of those times were suddenly coming back to him easily. It was one of the most wonderful things they were able to do together; help to bring life into the world... It was always known in every town they stepped in, that no matter how complicated things could turn, Doctor Cullen and his wife would never lose a mother or a child during childbirth.

This time it was different, though. It was Esme the one who was going to give birth, and it was Carlisle who had to handle things the best he could on his own. It was difficult considering his senses were numbed by the baby's talent, those senses that made him the best doctor in Forks were suddenly lacking their special touch. This worried him greatly.

He kept staring at the gold watch, apprehensively waiting...

Esme only managed to stare at him as she rested on their bed, semi-seated against the soft, white feathered pillows that were propped against the elegant headboard. She was feeling good; contractions were barely perceptible and thankfully not agonizing...yet...although Carlisle looked as if he were about to pass out.

"You are worried." She pointed out, putting special attention to his lips. Whenever they were tightly pressed into a thin line, it meant he was worried.

"I'm not..." _Oh, yes__, __he was__, __but he had to pretend_. He focused on the watch as his eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

Do you feel your abdomen tensing up?" He asked calmly.

"Like a rock." Esme had answered that question four times in the past fifty minutes but patience was one of her best qualities, especially when it came to Carlisle. "It's over..." She finally whispered, feeling her body relaxing. "It feels so strange."

"It's not a conventional birth..." He spoke as his hand went to tenderly stroke her stomach. Little moves could be sensed under the thin fabric of her nightgown. "Lie back, please." He immediately left the pocket watch on the night table to help Esme remove a few pillows from under her back.

_Examination time._

Esme had finally agreed to undergo it. She actually had no choice; her little daughter was about to be born. She sighed loudly, so loudly that Carlisle let out a chuckle as he went across the room to gather his medical equipment.

"I can't help it." Esme shrugged. "No matter what, I'm still old-fashioned, too. Back at the beginning of the century no doctor would examine a woman so thoroughly."

"But I'm your husband." Carlisle was absolutely amused by her attitude. "Your personal doctor..." He placed one by one the metal gadgets on a silver tray. "...and I know every inch of your body with outstanding perfection." He finally went back to her side with the tray in his hands.

"Ready?" He smiled.

Esme rolled her eyes. "No, but I have no choice."

He sat on the bed right in front of her, laughing softly at her retort. "It's not that bad."

"Oh, no, of course not." She raised her eyebrows. "What if I examine you?"

Carlisle raised his eyebrows, a little surprised by her question. "I think you have already done that before...many times." He stared at her very seriously and she couldn't help but to burst into laughter, turning her face away into a pillow.

He smiled. "Come on..." Carlisle suddenly felt relaxed; Esme always managed to ease him so much during stressful times.

"Wait..." She breathed in, trying to regain composure and nodded towards the tray. "Why do you have a needle the size of a cane there?"

He grinned.

"Carlisle!"

"It's a joke. You know I can't use it with you..." He kept smiling as he lifted her knees back in order to start. "I promise it will be fast. Lie back." Esme did as told and slowly, he began to slide up her nightgown, almost seductively. "Imagine we are playing doctor..." He couldn't help a laugh at the splendid memories.

Letting out a giggle, Esme only managed to look away. They had "played doctor"every once in a while - something Carlisle found incredibly exciting ever since the spring of 1971 when his wife had managed to sneak as any other nurse into the hospital he was working, and surprisingly corner him in the on-call room wearing that unforgettable white uniform...It was a midnight shift to remember.

_Ah, Esme would have surely given birth to ten times as many children they had adopted, after the very many ardent and romantically mischievous moments they'd both shared together._

"Done." He helped her to cover her legs with the bedcover as she sat one more time against the pillows on the headboard. "Four centimeters." He waved four fingers in the air before taking the tray back towards the bathroom.

Esme suddenly felt afraid. In probably less than twelve hours, they would have a very special little person in their lives:_Their very own baby!_

A new, uncomfortable contraction arrived, and the baby jolted at the disturbance. Contractions were irregular and blunt but seemed to upset their little one so much. Esme's palms caressed her stomach, trying to soothe the baby inside of her.

Suddenly Carlisle was back, sitting on the bed next to her. "Breathe..."

"It's not that bad...I can handle it." She leaned against him as he made himself comfortable against the headboard.

"Four?" She asked.

Carlisle nodded. "You must have been dilating for hours but since you didn't let me check you…"

"It's so soon." Esme whispered, trying to adjust herself to the idea.

"It's has been a little faster than Bella's pregnancy." Carlisle spoke. "But fortunately, she is already full term..." He smiled, gently tickling Esme's stomach.

Esme smiled at his words but then hesitated at the thought..."She is growing so fast; what makes you think the pace will diminish once she is born?" A glimmer of hope suddenly filled her eyes, "Because if she continues this way, then Charlie and Sue are going to have to hide her, too, and everything will be just a waste..."

Carlisle placed a finger on her lips, trying to discourage her from making excuses they both knew wouldn't help. "We can't." He spoke softly. "Our world puts her at risk."

The truth in those words made Esme lower her gaze like a disappointed little girl. Carlisle wondered if their little one would have that stare - that particularly childish, innocent gaze Esme had even though she was a woman.

"I've got a name..." He sang softly, searching for Esme's eyes. His hand suddenly found itself caressing the contour of her face.

"You do?" Esme suddenly looked at him with a very special twinkle in her sunny golden eyes. _Again that gaze…_

"Yes, but I'm not going to tell you until I see her." Carlisle rested his head backwards on the headboard, pretending it was matter of not much importance. "I want cake…do you think Edward would bring us cake if I call him?" He chuckled, knowing he was talking nonsense.

"Hey!" Esme poked him in the side, knowing very well what he was attempting to do. "I want to know..."

He shrugged with a lopsided smile. "Guess. It starts with an E"

She raised her eyebrows at him. _Not enough__ information…_

"And has four letters in it..."

Esme groaned. "I thought we agreed not to name her after me."

He chuckled. "Who said it was your name?"

Esme closed her eyes and smiled, snuggling against her husband's chest. Carlisle wrapped his arms around her, kissing her forehead. It was the most perfect moment - the three of them together, alone.

"I want to be sure she will have everything she is going to need after we leave, Carlisle." Esme looked up at her husband, her fingers beginning to play with the buttons of his shirt. "Furniture, books, toys, clothes..." She tried to make a mental list. "I want her life to be perfect even if we won't be there for her."

Carlisle's gaze was suddenly filled with melancholy. "We will ensure she will have everything she's going to need." His hand moved down to caress her lower back in lazy circles while theywondered how their little girl would manage her life alone, without she be content without knowing her family, her background, her roots...who her parents were?

Esme closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh, trying to relax under his touch... but it was impossible. Out of the blue, she tossed the bedcovers aside. Carlisle frowned at her sudden reaction.

"What are you doing?" He asked when he saw her leaving his side to stand up from the bed.

"I have to look for a crib, a bed, and decorations for her room... She needs clothes Carlisle, and shoes…There are so many things to do!" Esme waddled with difficulty, hand on her stomach, as she made her way towards her desk to open a laptop. "I can't believe I've wasted these past couple of weeks..." Her hands began to gather all the papers and blueprints she had scattered all over it.

Carlisle tried to suppress a smile. Esme had so much energy locked inside, even in the most probing times. "Esme you are in labour. It would be better if you were focused..."

"I feel perfectly fine." She then rushed to open their walk-in closet. "It could take hours, even days...and time is so valuable now." Just then, she stopped abruptly and hunched over a little, trying hard to catch her breath when a particularly painful contraction hit. Quickly, Carlisle went to her side, helping her to lean on him.

"You were saying?" He asked, enveloping his arm around her to hold her still.

Esme only managed to close her eyes and bury her face in his chest. Out of nothing, the pain had increased in strength. _It surely wasn't going to be a conventional birth_.

"This is going to be faster than expected, isn't it?" She breathed through the stabbing peak of the contraction that was suddenly taking over her.

In that moment, Rosalie suddenly burst into the room. "Didn't you hear?"

Only she would intrude that way without knocking first. "Oh, right, your ears aren't properly working. Like I said, Alice and I got it all covered." She said, tossing her beautiful blonde hair to the side before extending her arms towards Alice, who walked into the room after her, carrying a pile of neatly folded white towels and blankets.

"She will inherit Nessie's crib." Alice sang happily, placing the blankets on Rosalie's arms before walking towards Carlisle and Esme's bed. She practically tore the bed sheets from it under the quiet gazes of her parents.

"And I got her the most beautiful bed in the world." Rosalie nodded, very sure that the little girl would adore her bed – and Rosalie – in the years to come. "She is going to be ecstatic." She went to help Alice with the bedding. "It's something you would have chosen, Esme. You are going to die again when you see it."

"We also got a vanity, a bookshelf..." Alice paused to look at Carlisle. "We thought she might inherit your love for books, so Jasper and Emmett helped us to steal a quarter of your library for her. Hope it's not a problem for you..."

Carlisle frowned, having a difficult time trying to understand what his daughters had done to his library. "Wha-…"

"The clothes were the easiest part." Rosalie continued to bombard Carlisle and Esme with information, though Esme was a little more focused on the pain rather than the report. "Half of them were the ones Nessie used for a day or two. The rest are all brand new."

"And so little and cute!" Alice clapped her hands, incredibly excited.

Both Carlisle and Esme exchanged a glance at the view of Rosalie and Alice, doing as they pleased with their room and talking a lot, words coming out from the girls' lips like a waterfall_. __Girls... Vampire or human, some things never changed__._

"Alright." Rosalie turned around, suddenly serious. "Four centimeters dilated and you seem to be having irregular contractions. What about the effacement?" She stared at Carlisle waiting for an answer; her tone naturally reminded Carlisle that he wasn't the only one with a medical degree in the family.

"Ninety percent." He finally spoke.

"Nice." Rosalie smiled at the idea. "There's a big chance that this baby girl will come to the world the natural way."

"That's a good thing." Emmett appeared walking into the room, carrying a white marble bowl and a large bag of ice over his shoulder. "Because after the trauma we went through with Ness...The girl almost came out of Bella like _Alien_."

Alice giggled. "This baby will come into the world with no complications." She went to help Emmett, emptying the bag of ice into the bowl he had just placed on Esme's night table.

"I'm amazed you are able to see her even though she isn't one of us." Esme smiled at Alice's positive vision as Carlisle helped her to sit back on the newly arranged bed.

"She is special, different in her own way but so similar to us." Alice shrugged. "Remember how Edward said how curious she is at the sounds we make, at our voices, even at the things we do? She can't see, but she can listen and she is eager to meet us. I guess that's what makes our connection easier."

Carlisle's face brightened. He was eager to meet his little daughter, too. _Hold her, talk to her, kiss her little forehead, carry her on his shoulders, and teach her so many things. __He would relish in __her presence. He could already picture the three of them - __he, his wife, and their daughter__ - together..._

Just in that moment, Esme hunched over again in pain. Her contractions were unexpectedly getting closer and more intense...

**o)O(o**

The leaves of the trees in the Blacks' garden seemed to fall slower around them, like in a bad dream for poor Renesmee. She had the most beautiful day running, climbing and hunting in the forest with her dear Jacob, but the crushing disappointment of the news her parents brought had destroyed her happiness in an instant.

"What?" She asked again, swallowing hard. Tears threatened to shed from Renesmee's coffee brown eyes. "But why?"

"Because she will be safer if she is not with us." Edward tried to explain one more time as Bella adjusted the buttons of her little daughter's coat. They had arrived at Jacob's house earlier that day to pick up Nessie and share the secret with Jacob, presenting him with the scheme to keep Carlisle and Esme's child safe… Nevertheless that particular scheme had saddened little Renesmee.

Nessie's face wrinkled, absolutely heartbroken. "But you can't do that! We were going to be best friends..." She insisted, and then unexpectedly, broke down in tears. Nessie covered her face with her small hands before the shocking gazes of her father, mother, and Jacob. They had never seen that kind of reaction in her.

"Hey..." Jacob kneeled by her side. "You have my word that I will take good care of her."

Nessie uncovered her face, her lips drawn into the saddest contour. She leaned her head against Jacob's shoulder.

"And when she comes back to your family, you can be best friends." He gave her a lopsided smile. "Forever."

Nessie sniffled, her eyebrows curved with grief. "It's not the same." She whispered, before running the back of her hand against her face to wipe her cheeks, although tears were still streaming. "Pop said we were a family and families are supposed to stay together." She sniffled, recalling Carlisle's words.

Edward and Bella had no words to comfort their little daughter. It was true: families were supposed to stay together.

"I'll talk to him. He can't do this." Nessie stubbornly shook her head in denial before storming out of the Black's garden.

"I'll talk to her." Jacob's gaze followed Renesmee, who was already standing on a branch at the top of one of the furthest trees.

"Are you sure the little one is not a bloodsucker?" He asked Edward.

"Jake..." Bella cocked her head to a side in a reproachful manner.

"Okay, okay..." He raised his hands, pleading himself not guilty. "I just can't believe this is happening again...Are you all going to start to reproduce?"

Both Edward and Bella crossed their arms above their chests, looking at Jacob with warning glares.

"Got it." Jacob turned to look at Billy Black, who was sitting on his wheelchair by the front door of their house, staring at them. "We will protect the baby and my pack will guard her too...but don't blame me if somehow Seth or someone else ends up imprinting on her." He warned them.

Edward chuckled at the thought. _Carlisle's reaction to that would be interesting to see…_

In that moment, Edward's phone buzzed in his pocket. He swiftly flipped it open to read the urgent message.

It was Alice.

"Esme is not doing well." He said before rushing out of the Blacks' garden.

**o)O(o**

The night had already fallen and bright stars were crowding the dark sky in Forks. It was a peaceful night, so full of promises and hopes in the Cullen home.

Rosalie dipped a white cloth into the bowl of cold icy water before rinsing it, and gently pressing the soothingly cool fabric on Esme's face. Sweet beads of venom had dampened her caramel hair and were now adorning her forehead after long hours of struggling labour. The pain had become so deep and intense, that even as the strong woman she was, Esme was fighting hard against her desire to weep in pain and frustration.

"I can't…" She almost cried as Carlisle urged her to push once again, and dear Rosalie helped her to lean forward.

"Yes you can." Carlisle spoke softly. "You are the strongest person I've ever known." Her pain was his pain, but he had to remain strong for her. It still amazed him how one night of passion led them to where they were now… But Carlisle knew that he wasn't only witnessing the birth of their baby but the beginning of their new lives as birthparents. From this moment on nothing, absolutely nothing, was going to be the same…

Tenderly, he leaned forward, closer to Esme. His face brushed the side of her face with caring love, trying to comfort her. "You are so very strong…" His lips moved softly against her ear. "You can do it." He gently kissed the side of her face before preparing her one more time to bring their child into the world. Carefully, he pushed her knees apart a little more.

The many images of Esme's life ran swiftly through her mind, recalling the long journey that took her to this point. Images of the kind-hearted girl that once fell from a tree, who was cared for by a noble, mysterious doctor who, unknowingly, was destined to be her husband for the rest of the eternity. The way Carlisle saved her, the way she woke up to him ready for a new wonderful life; a life of freedom, love and hope...and a child they never anticipated coming. A little life they had conceived out of the compelling love and wholesome passion they held to one another. This little life was theirs, a gift of love Esme had been called upon to help bring into the world.

Another contraction ripped through her as soon as the previous one was over. It was agonizingly intense, hardly recognizable as the pangs of childbirth. Her whole body stiffened and Esme found herself crying in intolerable pain. It was the most excruciating pain she had felt since she was turned into a vampire.

Carlisle and Rosalie shared concerned looks.

"Take a deep breath." Carlisle told Esme before wrapping her legs with the bedcovers, making a signal to Rosalie to join him in the bathroom. Something was terribly wrong and it was delaying the birth, putting Esme in unbearable pain. Alice immediately went to her mother's side, whispering words of comfort. She had already called Edward as her vision had provided her the most terrifying view of the possible future.

**o)O(o**

Edward sprinted into the house, followed by Bella, whose hand was being tightly clutched by Renesmee's. The little girl knew something bad was happening to grandma and the baby.

Alice and Jasper received them with a look of deep concern.

"Is she..?" Edward asked.

"Hey, Ness!" Emmett tried to look not too worried for Renesmee. "Want to go outside and practice some pitches?" He didn't wait for an answer and just took Nessie's hand to practically drag her out to the garden with him. It was better for Nessie to be outside until everything was over.

"They are upstairs; Esme's body is not cooperating. It seems to be turning back again..." Alice told Edward, her eyes fierce with apprehension. "There isn't much they can do."

Edward looked up at the staircase and then back at his sister. "In your visions, you said there were not going to be any complications. You've seen the baby."

"I saw a baby Edward, but now I'm not sure about Esme. Not after what I saw today…" Alice's lips showed how terrified she was. The loss of their mother, as it was shown in her vision, would be devastating to all of them.

Edward nodded and instantly went upstairs to find Carlisle leaning against the door of his own bedroom. The sleeves of his shirt were wrapped up his arms and his gaze was locked to the floor. "I feared this..." He spoke, looking overwhelmed and utterly frightened. "I can't lose her." His words broke at the sight of the possibility. "I can't lose _them_." He looked at Edward, imploring for something he knew his son couldn't give him.

Seeing Carlisle that way moved Edward. Only once in all his life he recalled seeing Carlisle that way…

"It's the same thing you said when you turned her, remember?" Edward stared solemnly at him. "Come on, it's not by chance that Rosalie and I both have a double degree in medicine, and it's certainly not by chance I have a 'special ability' too."

Edward entered the room, followed by Carlisle and Bella. The picture was disturbing, but nothing had been lost yet. He found Esme curled against the headboard of her bed, breathing and blowing under Rosalie's instructions. The white linen sheets she had once embroidered were entwined around her weak figure and she was in terrible pain, looking drained and trying hard to be strong for her husband's sake. Her eyes were squeezed shut and her hands were clutching Rosalie's, whose gaze looked pleadingly at Edward as he walked closer to the bed.

But as soon as he sat by her side, taking Rosalie's place, Esme's eyes opened to see him.

Edward smiled at her. "I'm extremely sure you want to kill Carlisle right now." He couldn't help a little humor he knew she loved.

Esme raised her eyebrows in response. Her thoughts reached Edward's mind instantly and he chuckled, turning to look at Carlisle who was now by their side. "She says she won't be sleeping with you for the next 200 years."

Carlisle smiled gently, taking one of his wife's hands. She squeezed it hard when a new wave of pain took over her body. An inevitable moan of pain escaped her lips as her body hunched over again.

"The baby is shutting down her ability...She is afraid. That's why Esme's body is changing back." Edward told Carlisle as he sensed the fearful little soul within Esme. "I'm going to reach her and try comfort her…and then Esme will be all yours." He looked at Carlisle, who nodded in quick understanding.

Edward focused on the unborn child. The little one was terrified; her little soul felt just as overwhelmed as Carlisle's. She was afraid of her mother's suffering, afraid of what was happening around her, afraid of the feelings she could perceive from the beings outside. Fortunately it only took Edward less than a minute to soothe her. He touched her mind and her soul with beautiful feelings, promising feelings of love and safety if she managed to remain confident and strong. A strange feeling also took over Edward as he did, a feeling he had felt before from Esme - he was suddenly feeling overwhelmingly loved by the child. _So much like her mother_… He smiled a little at that, then stood up from the bed. "I think she is ready." He announced.

Carlisle immediately took Edward's place, sitting in front of his wife. "Let's work together, alright?" He whispered her. Tired and dizzy, Esme gave a soft nod as she felt Carlisle's arms wrapping around her waist, pulling her a little closer to him. She only managed to wrap her arms around his shoulders, resting her forehead in the crook of his neck as he pushed her knees apart, separating her legs one more time.

He felt her breathing hard, struggling in pain. "My love…" He whispered. "Take a deep breath and push."

An intense wave of pain washed her over with intensity, and Esme squeezed her eyes shut, trying hard to focus on her task. Gathering the little strength she had left, she breathed in and pushed at the encouraging words of her husband.

"Good job..."

She could feel his breath, soothingly tickling the skin of her face as he whispered words of reassurance until she felt herself losing it. Carlisle instructed her to rest when he heard her moans of pain. She collapsed with her forehead resting on his shoulder. Carlisle pulled away to look at his wife, tenderly cupping her face, his fingers entwined among the dampened strands of her beautiful hair. Her eyes were still tightly shut as she fought a new pain. "I want you to cry and scream all you need, don't try to be strong..." He whispered.

Esme opened her eyes, trying hard not to weep. She was tired; she wanted it to be over, and he knew…

"I know...but you can do it." He told her. "You can do anything." He pressed his lips on her forehead.

"Breathe..." Carlisle instructed her, and again Esme breathed in one more time. "Push…"

And she did as told. All her strength, all her emotions focused on only one thing. It didn't take long, though. Someone helped her to lean over a bit - probably Rosalie or Bella - and then the most throbbing sensation came. A natural cry of pain escaped her throat... she couldn't do it anymore, it was impossibly crushing...

"As soon as you think you can't do it anymore, you'll already be done." Carlisle read her. "It's coming. You can do this, I promise."

Softly, Bella sat beside her for support. To Esme, it was surreal. As a human, she had given birth to her late baby boy alone in an unknown place, helped by strangers, but now it was absolutely different. She was at home, surrounded by the ones she loved most on earth.

"One more time." Carlisle spoke softly, almost begging. "Please…"

Esme gasped for air before a wave of pain swept through her body all over again. She couldn't suppress the moans of pain that wanted to escape her lips; she longed for it to be over, to be able to hold her baby. She pulled her strength from the heavens and pushed one more time. Carlisle's whispers of encouragement suddenly stopped. "She is almost here." He said. "Push once more, and it will be over. I promise."

A gleaming smile and a sense of thrilling emotions enveloped him when he sensed the imminent was about to happen.

One final time, Esme did as she was told. A second later she instinctively bore down, crying out as the onslaught of throbbing pain buckled down on her. She felt the life she housed for almost a month leave her body at last. Completely fatigued and sore, Esme collapsed against her husband.

And then the most beautiful, tiny whimper broke the silence.

The overwhelming emotions were so strong that Esme wept at the moving sound. Under the dim light of the breaking dawn Carlisle was holding the most beautiful little being on earth. Her weak whimpers filled the air like the most perfect melody. Her tiny fingers were curled into fists as she squirmed in his hands.

Carefully, he wrapped her in a soft blanket. She was so small and perfect in every way. His little baby had the cutest nose and most beautiful honeysuckle lips. Her long beautiful lashes blinked, trying to adjust to the light of the new day...and hidden under those lashes were the most stunning golden eyes. An overwhelming sense of happiness enveloped him, a happiness that made tears of pure joy flow down his face. _His Esme had given him a baby!_

And as he had so much wanted to do, he delicately brushed his lips on his daughter's tiny forehead, leaving behind the tenderest of all kisses.

"Welcome to the world, Ella." He whispered in awe, as he placed the wriggling baby in Esme's arms.

Ella was the littlest, most beautiful bundle of joy in the world.

* * *

_On next updates: What is Nessie going to tell Carlisle? Would she scheme a new plan? Is someone going to imprint on Ella? Will she be able to grow up like any other kid or is she going to be similar to Nessie?_

_Also, if you want to take a look at what Rosalie & Alice got for Ella's room, take a look at the pic in my profile. =) _

___Thanks so much for reading and comenting! __I promise happy updates from now on, until my evil side comes out, lol _

___Finally, I'm a group of talented writers and I are promoting the http:/ / hopelessromanticawards(dot)blogspot(dot)com/ for fanfics that don't include Edward & Bella as main couple. We think it's time for fictions like Carlisle & Esme's, Jasper & Alice's and even non-canon pairings, to shine. If you are a writer, take a look._


	18. Little Butterfly

_I'm finally getting my updates back in order, _

_enjoy :)_

* * *

**Chapter XVIII**

**Little Butterfly**

A sense of peaceful joy reigned in the environment. Songbirds could be heard around the house and in the distant forest, clouds were non-existent in the sky, and an unusual lilac and pink colored sunset was beautifully painting the sky of Forks,preparing it for the early hours of the night.

ToCarlisle, everything felt like one of those movie endings one could hardly picture happening in real life.

It was the most beautiful day of the century - the birthday of his first-born daughter.

The feeling of finally having her in his arms was heartwarming.

A soft smile appeared on his face as he held his little one. _So small, fragile and perfect. _

Ella was the seventh and youngest of his children, though the paradoxical part was that even though she was his first-born, she was the youngest and the littlest one of them all. She was extremely beautiful. Not that being the father biased toward her_…alright, maybe a little,_ but she truly was the most beautiful baby he had ever seen.

Carlisle took a very special time to admire her during that moment they were alone. He knew she was trying hard to take a peek at him through the veil of her long lashes with those stunning golden eyes, but seeing that she was a newborn baby, it was a little difficult for Ella to keep her eyes open.

He softly tickled her little button nose and she wrinkled it in return.

_What a __joy! She __was adorable and undeniably irresistible! _

Being unable to restrain himself, he kissed her little forehead again as he already did more than seven times before. Her tiny fingers brushed his face as if acknowledging the kiss.

Edward had told Carlisle that Ella knew that he was her _daddy_. She knew who Carlisle was; she recognized the sound of his voice, and her heart beamed in happiness at his closeness ever since she was inside her mom, but now that she had been born, Ella had finally captured the image of her _daddy_ in her mind. She loved him, and she loved Esme too.

And even though his daughter was similar to Esme in that particular characteristic, Ella was indeed one of a kind.

The most extraordinary thing was that even when there wasn't a trace of blood in Ella's stream, and she had no blush on her face like the rest of the family, the little one wasn't cursed the way they were. Her heart pumped the curative venom as Alice had predicted, but Ella's skin was little query that was puzzling Carlisle's mind since the beginning, as under his touch, it seemed to be exactly like his and Esme's skin.

Slowly, he got closer to the few gentle sunrays that shone through the glass wall of his bedroom and the confirmation didn't shake him, but touched him. The light not only revealed the brilliant diamonds of his skin but also, the very few subtly hidden in his baby.

His eyes filled with gentle tenderness at the sight. Their baby was like Esme and him in so many ways_, yet different too…_But those differences didn't matter because to him, Ella was pure perfection, and he loved his little one terribly.

Carlisle tilted his head down to nuzzle her tiny forehead. He could swear that no baby on earth had such charming was as sweet as strawberries, or maybe vanilla flowers, but as enchanting as cinnamon essence on Christmas Eve, definitely something inherited from Esme.

Slowly, he turned around to face his bed.

Esme, his life and soul, was fast asleep under the white feathered bedcovers.

It was curious how she had simply been there with him for the past century, and just a few hours ago the nightmarish feeling of losing her forever had trapped Carlisle with overwhelming strength. He felt weak and useless at the idea of not being able to have her by his side.

But Esme had chosen to risk her life to bring their daughter into the world and she succeeded. And though the birth had drained her completely, it was fortunately only their daughter's gift which still made Esme feel the human peculiarities of the after-birth.

It was this particular side of their daughter's ability that concerned Carlisle. The little one made all of them as vulnerable as humans, and in certain cases, defending themselves from the ones of their kind would be impossible under those effects. It was dangerous indeed, just like Eleazar had stated.

Slowly, Carlisle walked towards the bed and as the baby began to stir in his arms, he sat right next to his sleepy Esme.

He observed her for a second and then to the little one in his arms. They were both extremely beautiful; the color of the very little hair Ella already had was something that brought a smile to his lips.

_Shiny__c__aramel__. Just __like her mom._

The sole idea of having a daughter who looked like Esme promised a little someone full of liveliness and energy. It was luck that both Carlisle and Esme were different from the rest of the parents in the world, since he knew that controlling a one-of-a-kind kid was a handful.

Intending to wake Esme up, Carlisle reached to caress her face with the back of his fingers_._ She shifted softly before her eyelids fluttered open, then they closed back again. He leaned over to kiss her forehead, and Esme opened her eyes again, still sleepy. Even though she was sore and tired, Esme smiled when she caught the glimpse of the tiny bundle of love Carlisle was holding in his arms.

It took her a little moment to gather the strength she needed to speak.

"I feel awful…" She whispered, amused.

Carlisle chuckled. "I know, but I promise you will heal faster than the average mom." He smiled, nuzzling her nose as he placed their baby on her chest. Esme immediately cradled Ella with tender care.

"Ten fingers, ten toes." He whispered. "No fangs." Carlisle helped her into a sitting position, propping a few pillows behind her back. "Don't sit completely or you'll regret it."

"I know," Esme laughed softly and with curiosity, she began to unfold the quilt around little Ella as her husband sat by her side, but she suddenly stopped doing it when she felt the smoothness of her daughter's skin.

"It might be the only thing that could give her away." Carlisle spoke, noticing her reaction. "Fortunately, it's not a shimmery as ours."

Esme nodded in understanding. Ella had inherited that part from them.

"She hasn't grown," Esme observed. "Not even a bit." It was a good observation, and the only particular thing that had called Carlisle's concern. In the short period of time after the birth, Ella hadn't grown an inch. Compared to Nessie's first hours of life, Ella was still as small as the moment she came into the world. She looked as small and fragile as a human newborn.

"Edward and I have been trying to recognize a development pattern during these past few hours with no success." Carlisle accommodated himself next to his wife, placing an arm around her shoulders while they admired their baby.

"Do you think she is going to grow slower than Nessie?" Esme asked when she exposed one of Ella's miniature feet.

"I don't know," Carlisle replied with honesty. "Ella is a little puzzle to all of us. I thought she would grow twice as fast as Nessie, considering she is born to us; two of our kind."

_Born to us…_The words made Esme turn to look at him. Her eyes shone with utter happiness. "Carlisle…" She said, trapped in a deep sense of bewilderment. "We have a baby…"

He smiled, his eyes glistening too. The emotions flowing inside him were strong, almost building up a knot of pride inside his throat. Softly, he leaned to press his lips against hers. "Thank you," He whispered. "For giving her to me."

"Thank you for surviving it." Esme chuckled, giving him back a little peck on the lips. Carlisle shook his head, amused.

Esme allowed herself to rest on her husband, and they stared at their daughter. Their child was indeed precious in every way, not only because of her extraordinary ability, but also because she was theirs - truly theirs. It was easy to admire the little one they had both created out of providence.

Absolutely unaware of who she was, and how adored she was by her parents in that moment, Ella stirred a little.

Esme's face softened in pure emotion. She suddenly felt like falling apart; the idea of having to leave their baby was heartbreaking.

"Hey…"Carlisle whispered bringing her closer to him.

"Let's just ran away to isle." She looked at him suppliant. "No one will ever know; she would grow up there... She'd love it. The sea, the sun…"

Carlisle visualized the idea for a few seconds but then refrained from doing so after a moment. "I wish it could be that easy." His finger went to trace the tiny hand of their daughter. "She makes us vulnerable." Carlisle spoke. "We can't protect her this way."

Esme stared down at the baby. It was clear to both of them that they would rip apart anyone who would ever dare bring harm to their little girl. The decision to give her away for her own protection was good and the right thing to do under the threatening circumstances, but to both Carlisle and Esme, it was difficult.

In that moment, Ella complained with a weak whimper, triggering more of her parents' attention.

Carlisle smiled a little. "I believe she is hungry."

"Hasn't she eaten anything?" Preoccupied, Esme turned her face to stare at her husband.

"I tried to feed her formula, which worked until she refused it." Carlisle placed his smallest finger in the baby's mouth, and Ella suddenly settled. "This is the second baby in the family that refuses to take formula." Carlisle smirked.

Esme cradled her baby. _What were they supposed to give her now? _

Carlisle only stared at his wife with a look that bore the answer to her question. She looked at him,confused.

He nodded bashfully toward her bosom. "I think you are full." He coughed, trying to suppress a smile at his words.

Esme looked down at her figure. _It was impossible._

"It is very possible." Carlisle read her thoughts, moving his hands to undo the ribbon of her nightgown. "Your body changed to provide a protective environment for her; therefore, it must have changed in this aspect too. Mother Nature's rules never change when it comes to Motherhood."

Esme face brightened with a smirk, her mind suddenly somewhere else… "Do I look voluptuous to you?"

"Don't," Carlisle laughed. "Let's not talk about it in front of her." He buried his face in her hair with a chuckle.

Esme giggled. "Alright, let's try it." She cradled the baby closer to her chest, and little Ella snuggled with no hesitancy. A minute later, in the cozy embrace of her mommy, the little one latched on, nursing almost instantly.

Esme looked down tenderly at the little one in her arms, the one that had made her a mother one more time. "It's so…bizarre." She watched her nurse in awe.

"It's beautiful." Carlisle gazed tenderly at the image of his wife and newborn daughter. It was something he was going to keep in his memory forever.

"So," Esme changed the subject. "Ella, huh?"

Carlisle smiled a little, he knew Esme was refering to the name. "It's old-fashioned, like us." He tenderly patted Esme's leg. "I thought that if she is going to undergo by _Isabella_; it will be less confusing for her if we name her that way."

"I like it." Esme smiled. "It's very us."

"I know," Carlisle chuckled, leaning his head back against the headboard, closing his eyes. "I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I'm tired."

Esme raised an eyebrow. "And I'm voluptuous."

Carlisle opened one of his eyes to stare at Esme with a smirk. "You are being naughty."

She giggled, suddenly arranging baby Ella who had fallen asleep while nursing.

"She is asleep," Esme whispered, passing the little one to Carlisle, who held her one more time with pride.

Esme rearranged her nightgown as Carlisle laid back on bed with Ella cradled on his chest. He was drifting to sleep, surrendering to his daughter's magical touch. Not noticing it, Esme yawned, giving up as well to the once remote feeling of falling asleep. She snuggled against her husband and child, and closing her eyes, Esme fell into the most wonderful dream -a dream filled with little butterflies.

**o)O(o**

_Two years later…_

"Ella?" A voice in the darkness called her name. It was like an echo, waking her up from the most wonderful dream.

"Ella, I asked you a question."

The little girl of bright caramel hair and striking golden eyes raised her head from the desk. Perplexed, she looked around her; all the children in the classroom were staring expectantly at her. She blinked, forcing her blurry eyes and dizzy mind to pay attention.

"Ella," Miss Cole walked among the desks to stand before her. "This is the second time this week."

Embarrassed, Ella hid her sweet face behind her waves of hair by looking down at the book lying on her desk.

"One more time, Ella, and I will be forced to send a letter to your parents."

Uncomfortable, Ella only ran a strand of hair behind herear. _How to explain to the substitute teacher that…_

"Ella doesn't have any parents," A pretty blonde girl sitting behind Ella spoke out loud. "But you can always call her uncle and aunt, Miss Cole." The blonde girl smirked, as a red headed girl siting by Ella's side giggled.

It was during these moments when Ella wished she could go back to homeschool. It was easier when Aunt Sue taught her, since she didn't have to deal with the popular girls. Threatened by Ella's stunning beauty, the clique of the school had included her in their little elite as soon as she was enrolled two years ago. But Ella didn't feel she belonged with them; the most difficult part to her was that she didn't feel she belonged to any group in school.

"Is that clear, Ella?" Miss Cole asked her.

"Yes, Miss Cole." Her voice was soft and sweet. Ella didn't want to fall asleep in class, but lately it had been happening almost all the time. She had been caught twice that week, and she knew that a third one was going to give her trouble.

_But, how not to fall asleep when she was having those dreams?_

She dreamed of them - her parents. She'd never had the chance to meet them, but every time, in her dreams, they would visit her. She could feel the warm embrace of Mom and the presence of Dad in those blurry dreams. Nobody spoke in her dreams, and no faces could be seen, but Ella knew it was them. Her curious dreams seemed to be memories of her past…but how could she remember those things when her parents left her when she was only a baby?

Aunt Sue had told Ella that her parents had to leave her with her and Uncle Charlie when she turned three years old. Still, Ella could see the blurry images of a man and a woman leading her first steps, playing with her, loving her…

But maybe, they were only just dreams…

Already distracted, Ella's eyes began to wander out the window by her side. Outside, the leaves of a tree moved softly with the breeze, and a butterfly batted its wings funnily in the air.

She smiled.

Billy Black had told her that capturing a butterfly, whispering one's wish to it, and releasing it later, would make the butterfly take the wish to the heavens where the Great Spirit would grant it. Ever since then, Ella would chase butterflies everywhere, gently capturing them in her hands so she could whisper to them her most desired wish. Her habit was something that had made the people at La Push coin her native American Indian name; _Little Butterfly_.

Ella stared at the clock on the wall, counting the minutes left for the class to be over. She really wanted to go after that butterfly.

**o)O(o**

_Two years earlier…_

A sound upstairs made Edward and Bella jump off their seats from the kitchen counter. Their acute senses focused on the movements upstairs where Carlisle and Esme were supposed to be sleeping. Immediately, they rushed upstairs, followed by Alice and Jasper who noticed the same noise.

It wasn't until they had reached Carlisle and Esme's bedroom when they saw the source of the noise. Their parents were both fast asleep on the bed, but crawling towards them on the carpeted floor was the most adorable toddler of bright caramel curls. She sat on the carpet with her quilt tangled around her small body, staring at them for a long time. Then she stretched her little arms toward them, begging to be picked up.

Bella and Alice exchanged amused glances as Edward approached Ella, lifting the little one in his arms. Ella giggled at the affectionate hug Edward gave her.

"How old are you now, Ella?" Edward chuckled, walking slowly out of the room with his new little sister.

"Three," Alice spoke.

"She looks like a Two to me." Bella said as she took the baby from Edward's hands."

"Age is always a relative thing, especially in the Cullen family," Jasper added, tickling Ella's soft caramel curls.

**o)O(o**

Hearing a startling _whack! _on her desk, Ella woke up from her dream.

Miss Cole had hit her desk with a ruler. "Third time, Ella."

Ella sighed deeply. This time, she was in trouble.

* * *

_So, Ella grew to be a 9 year older in about 2 years._

_I know it must be a little confusing, and you might have lots of questions, but I promise everything will be explained in the next updates._


	19. Forever in Our Hearts

_Images to this chapter and a teaser poster for this story have been uploaded to my profile. I rec you seeing them before reading this update._

_Thanks to Mackenzie for her super beta powers, and for her inspiring water fight in Stained Glass Soul._

_Thanks to Anhanninen for finding Moo._

___And thanks to each one of you for your amazing comments._

* * *

**Chapter XIX**

**Forever in our Hearts**

Ella liked to think it was like fairy dust.

She smiled a little at the idea.

It was some sort of fairy dust - the stuff that would suddenly cloud her mind and make her fall asleep, carrying her into the most puzzling dreams.

Her dreams were like the pieces of an intricate puzzle. It was difficult for her to tell if they were memories from her past or wishes she longed to be true.

In the end, all what mattered is that she could be with them when she was asleep, and even though the images were blurry, Ella could feel her parents' touch, their voices, and the feelings they held for her.

They loved her.

It was difficult for little Ella to keep her eyes open, even when she had quite a lot of schoolwork to be done.

She leaned back onto the cushions of her bed and closed her eyes. Memorizing the state capitals could wait until after nap time…

**o)O(o**

Alice had foreseen serene days to come after Ella's birth, something that gave the family a little peace of mind and more time to be able to enjoy the little one's presence.

As predicted by Carlisle, Ella had proved to be a little one full of energy. She showed Esme's feistiness and merriment whenever she was happy, but was extremely quiet and cautious as Carlisle was the rest of the time. Just like her father, she would observe quietly when something called her interest, and Edward swore he could see Carlisle in her whenever she did.

But even when Ella was the littlest one, she was mischievous as only she could be, and that's where Carlisle realized that his baby daughter had not also taken Esme's looks, but her playfulness as well.

As a temporary measure, Emmett and Bella had happily volunteered to place Renesmee's former crib in Carlisle and Esme's bedroom, something that allowed Ella to wake up in the middle of the night, and instead of crying, she would simply toss her toys towards her sleepy parents to wake them up.

Being smacked in the face by toys in the middle of the night wasn't particularly pleasant to Carlisle and Esme, but the hilarity of the moments managed to pull them down to earth, making them feel like any other human parents, something they cherished above all else.

Ella had changed their lives in every way.

Esme had left her interior design projects to devote herself completely to her baby girl. She quit her fancy wardrobe for a more modest fashion in order to care easily for Ella, especially every morning when she would make the baby take bubble baths.

As for Carlisle, he was learning how to be the father of a baby girl, and the task wasn't an easy one.

"No one is going to imprint on my daughter." He spoke calmly, but by the way his voice echoed in the bathroom made it sound like he wasn't composed at all.

"Look, baby," Esme whispered excitedly to Ella, who was taking her morning bubble bath. "Bubbles!"

Esme pointed at the floating bubbles in the air around the tub. Ella's eyes opened wide and she immediately stretched her small arms, trying to catch them. Much to Ella's surprise the bubbles would pop and disappear under her touch.

She looked at Momma inquiringly. Esme smiled at her reaction.

"I love you so much." She kissed her little forehead. "It could happen, Carlisle." Esme looked at her husband. "Our baby would be even more protected."

Carlisle frowned. The idea of some wolf claiming his baby daughter for marriage didn't sound pleasant or amusing…and Edward cracking up downstairs wasn't making it better. But it was true; a possible imprint would bind the Quileute to guard their daughter with their own lives.

"I need to get her towel. Would you keep an eye on her, please?" Esme tried to avoid smirking at Edward's evident display of fun at Carlisle's uneasiness. "I'll be right back in a second. Pull your sleeves up and hold her."

"Me?" Carlisle asked in surprise, but his wife was already out of the bathroom. He immediately pulled up the sleeves of his expensive shirt, and quickly placed one of his hands on the baby's back.

He smiled a little. He was looking after his baby in a bathtub like any other dad in the world would do.

It felt wonderful and a little awkward too.

Even though he had treated kids in his years of practice as a doctor, having to care for his own baby made things different. It made him…a little anxious. Esme always seemed to know what to do when it came to their kids; she was a natural.

Out of the blue, Ella smacked the water in tub with her little hands, sprinkling it everywhere.

She giggled loudly.

"Ella…" Carlisle smiled a little, wiping his face with the back of his hand. Ella had gotten his favorite shirt damp.

"Ella, little ladies don't…" Ella splashed the water again, even harder. She was fascinated with the flying droplets of water landing everywhere, especially on her daddy. She looked up at him giggling, and Carlisle chuckled. No one could stop Ella when she was happy. She reminded him so much of Esme.

Surrendering to her charm, Carlisle allowed Ella to make a party with the water in the tub, kicking and splashing it everywhere.

He was soaking wet, but it didn't matter; it made him happy.

They were going to need a swimming pool for her to bathe in when she grew up.

_A swimming pool in a stadium…_

"Carlisle!" Esme stood by the bathroom door, looking around into the room.

"I leave you both alone for a minute and you're suddenly flooding the bathroom?"

Carlisle and Ella giggled, and it felt good. Father and daughter had suddenly turned into partners in crime.

"Who's going to clean this mess?" Esme's hands sat on her waist.

Carlisle couldn't avoid laughing at the situation. He only carried Ella out of the tub and went to leave a kiss on his wife's cheek. "You…Because you love us."

Esme close her eyes with a smile, enveloping her arms around her husband and child. Yes, she loved them, like no one in the world could ever imagine…_but Carlisle would be the one to mop._

**o)O(o**

Ella giggled in her sleep, shifting softly on the bed as she opened her eyes. She wasn't in a bathtub, and she wasn't a baby anymore. She was nine again, and she had fallen asleep while doing schoolwork in bed, which was terrible considering she had a test the next day.

_Well, at least she wasn't sleeping in class._

She rubbed her sleepy eyes and pushed the books away with her feet.

Studying was useless.

She wasn't particularly brilliant, she didn't have the best grades or the most outstanding position at school no matter how hard she tried, and things were going academically down under now that she was falling asleep all the time.

_Oh, but her dream was so vivid! And she felt her parents' presence again!_

Those dreams always managed to put a smile on her face because she could be with them, and they were amazing!

If only she could know a little more about them.

Neither Charlie or Sue wanted to tell her anything, not even what their names were. The only thing Ella knew was that her parents left her under Charlie and Sue's care to ensure her a better childhood. But she needed to know more! She had dared to ask before, but all those times she had been quickly sent away to do something. It was a little frustrating, and it always made her think that something really awful must have happened to her parents.

_"Maybe they simply abandoned you, it happens all the time."_

That's what the girls at school had told her.

_"Or maybe they are dead, and they don't want to break your heart. Adults usually coat ugly truths with sugar."_

But Ella didn't want to believe either of those things. It was true that her parents had never visited her, they had never sent a present, they hadn't even called or written a letter, but she was certain that it was because they were hardworking people who couldn't afford doing any of those things. She couldn't allow herself to think they were dead or that they abandoned her; it was impossible.

Sometimes she couldn't help but wonder where could they be or what could they be doing. Sometimes she wondered if they remembered they had a daughter in that little corner of the world called Forks.

Slowly, Ella moved to sit on the edge of the bed. She needed to gather the courage to ask Charlie and Sue about her parents again. She had an excuse now that Mrs. Cole had asked all her students to make a research and outline their family trees back to the 1800's.

Eager to begin with her homework, Ella grabbed a paper and a pen from the scattered books on her bed. She slid off the bedcover, but as her bare feet touched the floor, a sudden painful puncture made her scoot backwards on the floor.

"Ouch!"

She had stepped onto a tack. Carefully, she removed it from the sole of her foot.

A familiar crystalline tear escaped the diminutive wound, which less than a second later was healed and closed, showing no sign of injury.

That was normal for her.

She was extraordinary in the true sense of the word. No scratches or cuts would make Ella bleed. No disease would affect her the way it affected her friends at school, not even a cold…though her growth disorder was the only medical condition that placed her in a particular situation.

According to Aunt Sue, Ella suffered from a well-known genetic syndrome. It was a cover, of course. Ella had developed twice as fast as Renesmee since the day she nursed from her mother, but as soon as she reached the look of a six-year-old human child, her growing pace diminished dramatically, to a point in which she seemed to be developing like any other human child, something that allowed her to be enrolled in school without raising any suspicions.

But Ella knew she was different from the rest of the children. She knew that the growth disorder was an invention, and that her distinction had to be kept a secret.

She yawned at her thoughts…but how could she possibly feel sleepy again if she had been sleeping just minutes earlier? _That fairy dust again_… She rubbed her eyes as her mind drifted to sleep.

Something was just wrong, and Ella knew.

Feeling her eyes closing one more time, she went back to bed.

"I'll never get any homework done," she mumbled before her head fell against a pillow.

**o)O(o**

Carlisle carried Ella into his study. Her little hand clutched his shirt as she rested on her daddy's chest.

"Alright." He sat with her behind the large mahogany desk, and while holding his baby daughter in one arm, he turned the pages of the book he had on the desk.

"Cow," he pronounced,pointing at the image of the cutest pastel purple calf jumping across a silver half-moon on the page.

Imitating daddy, Ella pointed at the familiar drawing too.

Carlisle was a little concerned. Unlike Renesmee, Ella had showed a slow language and comprehension development. At three weeks of age, Renesmee wasn't only walking, but talking, and listening to Alfred Tennyson poems, but Ella couldn't even pronounce a word properly. Moreover, Ella wasn't strong or fast, and her hearing wasn't acute as theirs. It was strange to him how could a child born to two of their kind, who shared the same genetic material, could be so different in that aspect. He wondered if she would develop those abilities later in life.

"Cow," He repeated.

Ella only stared at him, and then at the illustration in the book.

"Moo." She pointed at the illustration of the calf.

Carlisle's concern turned into a chuckle. Emmett had obviously been teaching his daughter. "No Beautiful, it's a cow." He kissed the soft waves of her hair.

"Moo." Ella insisted.

He couldn't suppress a smile at that.

Ella was similar to a human baby, so perhaps he shouldn't worry. Though he wished she could be able to understand him better before they had to say goodbye.

"Alright, Moo." He hugged her close to his heart. If someone would have told him that Esme was going to give him such a darling baby daughter…

The door of the study opened, and Esme walked in, carrying a small pink bowl with a baby spoon in it. She walked around Carlisle's desk in her usual sweet demeanor, leaning to kiss her husband on the forehead.

"Is Dad homeschooling?" She then caressed her daughter's soft hair.

"I know it's absurd," Carlisle leaned back in his seat.

"It's not." She went to sit on their _indestructible _armchair, patting the empty space to her left, inviting him to join her. Straightaway, Carlisle went by her side, not noticing that Ella was stretching her little arms towards the book on the desk.

"I thought she would speak earlier." He held the baby in his arms while Esme scooped a little of the smashed fruit in the bowl with the spoon, taking it to Ella's lips.

Ella savored the fruit with glee.

Esme knew well that it wasn't Ella's lack of speech that worried Carlisle, but the idea of having to leave their baby without her saying the words he longed to hear.

"Can you say Dad, Ella?" Esme tickled Ella's tummy. "Can you say Daddy?"

The baby gave her the sweetest smile.

Carlisle smiled a little. "She can say Moo."

"Oh," Esme lifted her eyebrows. "Moo is a very important word."

"Indeed."

They laughed softly. Ella looked from Mom to Dad with interest, then blabbered in the most adorable way, stretching her arms towards the desk where the book with Moo was.

Esme caressed the little one's head. "Will you remember us, Ella?"

Ella only waved her arms towards the desk.

Carlisle tilted his head to one side to stare at his daughter. The answer was clear to him, but it was something he didn't feel he could say aloud.

He believed that Ella was going to forget them.

It was hard to think about it, but it was also something that had to happen for her safety. Her memories had to be kept from recalling any of them, anyone in the family.

Esme took a deep breath, trying to avoid feeling heartbroken. "I can't help but think what is going to happen when she comes back to us."

"It's no time to worry about it." He stretched his hand to take Esme's in his. His changing blue eyes tried to comfort her. "When the time comes, we'll face it together."

Ella stretched her arms even more towards the desk, frowning at her parents' indifference.

"What if she doesn't like us? What if who we are causes her… fright?"

Carlisle's mind had been filled with the same questions. He only squeezed Esme's hand in reassurance. "We'll pray that she won't."

"MAM, DAD!" Ella stretched her arms furiously in the air towards the desk. "MOO!"

Carlisle and Esme stared blankly at their daughter, who was completely oblivious to the immense joy she had given to her parents. She only kept waving her little arms towards Moo.

**o)O(o**

Ella's eyes fluttered open.

The darkness of her room was invaded by the lights that came from outside the house.

She had slept through the evening. Softly, she shifted on her bed, snuggling against the pillow and trying to enjoy the bits she could remember of that dream...

_Moo._

Coming to a sudden realization, she jumped off bed. Her heart began to beat faster with every second she approached the closet. She opened the door and immediately kneeled to uncover a toybox that was sitting under her hanging clothes. Her hands dug into it, immediately finding the treasure she had been looking for.

Slowly, she pulled out the sweet stuffed animal that not so long ago had been her best friend.

Her pastel purple cow, Moo.

Ella smiled.

She brought the toy close to her face, recognizing the sweet, familiar perfume, and it was like fairy dust all over again. It made Ella close her eyes, and as if drifting to sleep, she saw the image of a woman of caramel hair, skillfully sewing the last patches of pastel purple on her lap.

_Mom was sewing Moo for her._

_And baby Ella observed by her side._

They were sitting on a soft spot of the carpet in the living room, surrounded by some members of the family, who were engrossed in watching a game on TV. One of Ella's little hands stretched to twist the fabric of Esme's skirt.

Smiling, Esme looked at her baby daughter.

Ella leaned on her mother's lap. "Moo?"

Esme smiled. No, her daughter wasn't as quick as Renesmee, but she was _her _baby - the most beautiful baby in the world. "Yes little darling, this is going to be Moo."

Nessie smiled as well. The little girl crawled to rest her head on Esme's shoulder while her grandmom sewed the final patch of the stuffed animal.

"Mommy Esme?" Nessie mumbled. "I don't like that she has to go."

Esme remained quiet. She didn't like the idea either, but it had to be done. Edward had been losing his ability to break into others' minds, and Bella's shield weakened whenever they touched Ella. The little one wasn't able to hold her ability back, and it was becoming a risk to the family.

"It will be only for a little while," Carlisle's voice interrupted from his spot on the sofa. "We talked about this, remember Renesmee?"

Nessie looked away from Carlisle. "I'm not talking to you ever again." She whispered, hiding her face on Esme's shoulder.

Suddenly, the eyes of the family weren't on the TV anymore, but on Renesmee.

"Renesmee." Bella scolded her daughter.

With a blink, Carlisle reassured Bella that it was fine.

However, it truly wasn't. Renesmee was upset with him - it was natural since he was the one who was making the arrangements with Charlie and Sue, but it was heartbreaking to him to see his dear granddaughter give him the cold shoulder. Nessie had suddenly turned into a miniature Rosalie. It was something curious, since Rosalie's mood had changed ever since Renesmee was born.

"You should always remember how much I love Ella, Renesmee." He told her.

Nessie moved away from Esme to seek comfort in her mother's embrace, and Bella opened her arms to her gloomy daughter. Nessie assumed it was Granddad's fault why they were leaving Ella behind. After all, he was the one pushing for it.

There was an awkward exchange of looks between Rosalie and Bella before Edward walked into the room.

"I see dead people." He arrived with his emblematic sardonic smile.

But then Nessie moved out from Bella's embrace to walk past her dad and away from the family, completely indifferent to the joke.

"She is really upset." Bella shook her head. "She's seeing it with other eyes…"

"She's seeing it with the eyes of a child" Rosalie interrupted, concerned. "What if we're wrong?" She asked Carlisle.

"Of course we are wrong," Emmett pointed the remote towards the TV to turn down the volume. "I'm on Ness's side."

Esme only pursed her lips, trying to focus on her needlework. Carlisle's eyes were on her…and the environment in the room felt suddenly weighty.

"Hey, Ella!" Edward interrupted before his brothers and sisters could make things harder for Carlisle and Esme. He leaned to sit on the carpet next to Esme and Ella. The baby blabbered a few words to him. He smiled. Ella was welcoming him. "I don't know why we are worrying about her lack of speech." He commented. "Carlisle blabbered for months after he met you, remember Esme?"

The girls in the room exchanged chuckles at the comment.

"That's quite comical of you, Edward." Carlisle went to sit next to Ella on the carpet, as if the baby could shield him from Edward's jokes.

"It's true," Edward smirked. "I'm sure Esme does remember how fluent you were whenever she was close to you."

Esme sent a wink of sweetness to her battered husband.

"Fortunately, Ella looks more like you, Esme. I'm sure she'll be speaking full, long sentences soon." Edward grinned at his mother as Carlisle pulled the little one onto his lap.

"Edward?" Bella raised her eyebrows at him. "Did you get it?"

"Yes, of course." Edward slid his hand into his jacket pocket to take out a very small velveteen box.

Suddenly everyone was staring at him.

"We got something little for Ella." He told Carlisle and Esme.

"Something little but very important." Bella kneeled next to her husband.

"Very important," Alice highlighted, suddenly moving to wrap her arms around Esme's shoulders.

"It's a present from all of us." Rosalie added, a little excited at the prospect.

"You're all going to make me throw up from all this excitement," Emmett muttered. Rose nudged him before he could ruin it.

And with a very elegant gesture, Edward gave the velveteen box to his mother.

Puzzled, Esme looked from Edward to her husband, who looked as perplexed as her.

Gently, Esme untied the ribbon around the box, and a second later her fingers opened it with no effort, revealing the most beautiful piece of jewelry inside.

It was a small sterling silver locket, with the refined engraving of the Cullen crest on the front. On the back, the most delicate scripture was inscribed_: Per sempre nei nostril cuori._

Esme was speechless. They had chosen to write it in Italian, a language that was very special to both Carlisle and her. Because she was unable to speak due to the emotions inside her, Carlisle took the lead.

"Thank you, Edward." He whispered, getting closer to appreciate the little keepsake.

"It's not for you." Edward tried to avoid a smile. "It's for Ella."

"I know it's for Ella." Carlisle rolled his eyes.

"She can use it when she…" Bella paused. "When she comes back to be with us."

"Yes, because carrying the family crest around her neck now would give her away completely." Jasper finally spoke.

"But since she is part of the family, we wanted her to have her own piece of jewelry, like each one of us does." Alice smiled.

Without thinking too much, Esme closed the small jewelry box and placed it inside the head of the stuffed animal she was sewing, hiding it in the soft stuffing.

"That is risky, too," Edward reproved.

"Esme," Carlisle also spoke. "I don't believe you should…"

"Silence." Her voice was cutting and so was her gaze. She shot a glance at her husband and children before she went back to her needlework, sewing the seam of the patch, and finally closing the stuffed calf.

**o)O(o**

Ella opened her eyes. Her breathing had quickened. She wasn't lying in bed, but standing on the floor. _Had she fallen asleep __standing up__?_

She looked down at the stuffed purple cow in her hands.

Her hands suddenly squeezed the body of the toy, as if wishing she could feel something inside.

_Nothing._

But it was ridiculous! Dreams were merely dreams.

Ella embraced her baby cow. How disappointing that something she had always hoped were visions of her past, were simply dreams.

Feeling lonely, she walked to look out the window.

Billy Black had just arrived, and Charlie and Sue had walked out to receive them.

Ella couldn't help but acknowledge that she was surrounded by people who loved her, but still she couldn't stop feeling lonely…and different. They were all related, and she felt like she was the little stranger who didn't belong to anyone.

Slowly, she snuggled the baby cow under her chin, pressing it into a hug.

That's when she felt it. Something hard inside the head of her toy.

Ella gasped, looking stunned at the toy in her hands. She squeezed the head again, and there it was! Straightaway she began to examine the stuffed animal, and a thread hanging from the seam around the neck invited her to open it with no remorse.

"I'm sorry, Moo." She whispered, pulling the thread with ease, leaving a small opening on the cow's nape.

Ella slid her fingers into the stuffing, trying to reach that something she saw in her blurry dream.

And she found it. The velveteen box had been kept intact inside.

With trembling fingers she examined it. The emotions inside her became overwhelming when she slowly opened the box, revealing the stunning piece of jewelry. She wanted to sob. Her family hadn't abandoned her; they loved her.

They truly loved her.

Failing to hold the tears back, Ella inspected the small locket.

"Per sempre nei nostril cuori."

She read the words fluently, as if she had known the foreign language forever. What was more, she was able to understand them.

"Forever in our hearts."

The words in English came from Ella's lips as if someone else had said them out loud. She stepped back, not only moved, but confused and in utter shock, unaware that someone else had read the words through her eyes.

The air in the room became hot, difficult to breathe. Terrified, the little girl went to push the window open. The moon was shining up above - the very same moon that was outlining the figures of her mother and father, who were on the other side of the world, vacationing with their teenage children in a faraway island in the South.

"What did you just say?" Edward questioned his father.

The eyes of the family were suddenly on Carlisle, who seemed to be in a trance.

He had spoken the words clearly to everyone including Edward, who couldn't believe the images he saw in Carlisle's mind.

Not knowing why, but feeling the air around her as heavy as her youngest daughter did back in Forks, Esme went swiftly to open the glass doors of the porch.

The waves of the sea crashed angrily against the rocks outside.

It was unknown to them how powerful their bond with Ella was, and how much stronger it would become the next few days, when the amazing force of love would pull them back together again.

* * *

_Thanks so much for reading. Hope you enjoyed Carlisle and Ella being partners in crime during her bubble bath, Ella's first words to mom and dad, and the secret hidden in Moo._

_We're coming close to the end of the story, and I want to thank you for continue reading & commenting. If you have any requests, feel free to write me._

_Have a wonderful week, best wishes to all! _


	20. Angels in the Snow

_Real Life issues made me neglect fanfics for while; fortunately I'm going to be able to neglect real life for a while, too. ;)_

_From now on, this story will be updated weekly (maybe less) until its ending, which is going to be around chapter XXV._

_Thanks so much to Mackenzie for her super betaing powers._

_Thank you for continuing to read._

* * *

**Chapter XX**

**Angels in the Snow**

It was a vision Esme didn't receive, but recalled so well, as if Alice's memory belonged to her…

An old woman of golden aura and splendid attire entered the throne room, escorted by four vampires with crimson red eyes. Her eyes were covered by a stunning shimmery azure mask.

Felix, Jane, Alex and Demetri followed her movements closely, with suspicion.

She stood before Aro, who rose from his seat before her with a triumphant smile. He had finally found the guardian of a treasure he'd been looking for for centuries.

"Well," He smiled, his teeth reflecting the light of the chandeliers around them. "Where is it?"

The woman tilted her head to examine the vampire. Her eyes were black like the night; they blinked. She looked relaxed and even amused by Aro's question.

"I don't have it anymore." She shook her head softly, smiling just like him. "I gave it away."

However, Aro's smile faded at those words. He took a step forward, determined to grab the insolent witch by the neck, but suddenly refrained from doing so.

"What is it, Aro?" She pronounced his name as if she had met him before. As if she had known him for centuries. "Are you afraid of touching me?"

Aro smiled again, but the expression was forced by his desire to find those valuable herbs, and his unwillingness to confront the powerful woman.

"To whom did you give it away, gypsy?" He gritted his teeth.

She smiled broadly, relishing in the knowledge she possessed that was going to make Aro burst in anger and frustration.

"To the ones of golden eyes."

Esme closed her eyes.

The memory of Alice's startling vision faded, as she tried to focus on the sound of the roaring sea. Esme kneeled onto the warm sand, and grabbed a handful of it, letting it slide through her fingers.

The sun was beginning to hide behind the line of the horizon.

It had been exactly two years since the last time she saw Ella, and the only thing that gave her peace was to know that her daughter was safe by going undercover.

Still, not a day passed without Esme thinking about her little one.

The morning they said goodbye wasn't planned. Alice simply burst into the house, completely upset by the vision she had of Aro and the mysterious woman. That day, everything changed.

Carlisle and Esme were granted the most beautiful weeks with their baby daughter. They shared the joy of witnessing little Ella say her first words, and take her first steps.

Esme smiled softly.

She recalled how Ella clutched her hands tightly, stumbling ungracefully on her small feet, trying to reach Carlisle across the study. The little one failed the task, but mainly because Carlisle decided to scoop the toddler into his arms before she could fall.

To Esme, there were no words to describe how much he loved Ella, even when the toddler discovered the marvels of what a pair of scissors could do to his books. The morning Carlisle found his baby girl making copious amounts of confetti out of his oldest copies, which according to Edward's words, "Was a tragedy of unfathomable limits." Carlisle stated it wasn't Ella's fault, but his, for leaving the book within Ella's reach.

It was clear that Ella had Daddy wrapped around her little finger; they were always together like little partners in crime.

Watching the soft breeze blow the sand away, Esme's smile broke. She and Carlisle had the most beautiful family, but without Ella, it was torn.

The last image they had of their child was at Charlie's home, in Bella's former bedroom.

Her daughters had decorated it beautifully. Even Bella couldn't recognize her old room when they finished. It was a fairytale, far from the heartache they were living.

That morning, Carlisle laid their sleepy daughter among the soft pillows of her new bed. A gentle breeze touched the curtains of the window as he kissed Ella goodbye. He left his heart with Ella in that kiss.

Little Ella only shifted in her dream filled sleep, and with a bittersweet smile Esme caressed her daughter's soft hair. Their baby had grown so much during the past week, and she wished she could see Ella grow into a beautiful teenager, but it was not possible. They had to let her go for a little while.

Esme recalled perfectly her husband's arm encircling her waist, taking her slowly out of the bedroom, and away from their child.

How composed they were when they embraced and thanked a perplexed Charlie, and a very keen Sue for what they were doing.

Their teenage children quietly observed their movements as they left the Swans' house. Edward and Bella looked devastated, and Alice carried in her expression the guilt of having brought the alarming vision.

On the way back home, just by the entry to the path that led to their home, Carlisle parked the Mercedes.

He and Esme remained in their seats, in the most awkward silence.

They watched as the cars of their children entered the driveway; the last one to leave their view was Edward's Volvo.

That's when Esme broke down, and with glassy eyes Carlisle held her tightly. They cried quietly in pain and frustration, and for the first time in a century, they dreaded to be what they were.

The family left for Alaska as planned that night, joining the Denalis for a short period. Alice's vision forced the families to build a plot in case the Volturi appeared to confront them, but surprisingly, the Volturi never arrived.

Esme's sadness in the gloomy Alaskan winter made Carlisle take her to the Isle. Their children followed them without hesitation, but to think Ella could be with them made Esme extremely emotional.

Soft steps on the sand approached her, and seconds later, Carlisle's arms enveloped her shoulders. He looked at the golden ocean in front of him as the waves gently washed the sands.

"Come back, please." He whispered.

Esme remained quiet. Her thoughts were still lost in their daughter. The night before, Ella reached them in an unimaginable way, leaving them stunned at how strong their link to her was. Ever since then, Esme wanted to go back to Forks to make sure Ella was fine, but Carlisle didn't want to take any risks.

He slid his hands around her waist, pulling her close to him, burying his face in her hair, leaving a kiss there. Esme closed her eyes, cherishing that little moment.

Ever since Ella was born, they agreed not to sleep together for the fear she would conceive again. Abstinence was supposed to last only until the magic of Ella's touch had vanished from their bodies, but even when it happened long ago, Carlisle preferred to wait.

A kiss or a simple hug were the most pleasant things in their world, and their moments together were so precious, even without the level of physical intimacy they were used to.

"I want us to go," Esme turned around to bury her face in his embrace. "I want us to see Ella."

Carlisle rested his chin on her head. He knew she wanted to cry and thump her fists against his chest. He was always denying her requests, but he was doing it because it was the best for them; for the family, and for Ella.

The night before, an argument divided the family, and Carlisle was certain it would've separated him from his wife as well, if it weren't for Esme's eternal love and patience.

_"How can you remain confident in that decision?" Rosalie stood from her seat on the table. "Ella has practically called you. She needs you, she needs her family. Do you think she is going to love you when she learns that you pushed her away?"_

_"Rosalie." Emmett enfolded his hand around her arm._

_Rosalie was furious, and her words not only stabbed Carlisle, but also Esme. "We are pushing away a member of our family." She insisted. "She is a Cullen."_

_"Maybe one of us should go to make sure Ella is doing well." Alice proposed. "Jasper and I…"_

_"No," Carlisle cut off her words. "We must finish what we started. It wouldn't be wise to interfere now."_

_"This is ridiculous." Rosalie shook her head in disbelief, then looked at Esme. "Don't you agree?"_

_"Rose," Edward interrupted. "A decision has been made."_

_"But look at Esme's face, she doesn't even agree!"_

_Carlisle eyed Esme. Her expression was filled with grief. Her hands were wrinkling the fabric of her skirt, as if that could prevent her from shedding tears._

_"We're not Ella's parents. It's not up to us to make decisions on the matter." Edward confronted Rosalie._

_"A decision has been made." Esme's shaky voice interrupted the argument as she stood from her seat. "We'll do as Carlisle says." Her voice betrayed how much she disagreed with her husband. "I beg you not to question him again." With those words Esme left the house, seeking refuge in the darkness of the night._

"I truly want us to see her," Esme's voice pulled Carlisle out of his recollection. "You said you used to watch your father in the distance," Esme stared at him with begging eyes. "What harm could we cause?"

Carlisle caressed her face.

"I'm afraid that if we go, we'll not be able to leave her side, ever again."

**o)O(o**

Bella looked up at Edward, pushing her Queen towards the square of his defeat.

"Checkmate."

He chuckled. "Are you going to let me win someday?"

Bella chuckled too, but her smile soon faded when she felt Carlisle and Esme approaching. Her voice didn't make a sound, but her lips shaped the words perfectly enough for Edward to read them.

"Who is going to tell them?"

"Leave it to me." Edward tapped his fingers on the table as he looked nervously towards the ocean. "I'm their favorite, remember?" He gave Bella an insecure smile.

"You _were _their favorite…" Bella winked playfully.

"Yes, but…" Edward leaned over to whisper on her face. "I'll always be their first son."

Bella giggled, shaking her head. She had to see how Edward was going to explain to his parents, that the rest of the family was missing because they decided to do as pleased?

Edward cringed. He hoped Carlisle's compassion and Esme's utter love for him would not diminish when he told them.

After their argument the night before, Emmett and Rosalie planned to travel to Forks to make sure Ella was safe. Of course, Alice quickly saw it in a vision, and excitedly asked to join them, which meant Jasper would join them too…and because Edward couldn't help scanning his brothers and sisters' thoughts, he found himself learning the plan.

"If you tell on us, I will personally chop off your manhood, and feed it in sandwiches to the wolves," Emmett stated.

Edward didn't say anything, not because he was worried about his manhood, but because he was almost certain that his siblings would be cautious. It wasn't until Bella noticed Renesmee had disappeared as well, that he got a little alarmed. Nessie had joined the caravan of madness too.

Bella nudged Edward. Carlisle and Esme were suddenly standing right before them.

"It's so silent here." Esme looked around. "Where is everyone?"

Edward smiled a little, as if trying to lessen the gravity of the situation. "Forks."

**o)O(o**

What Ella loved the most about winter was the sweet smell of baked goodies that invaded the air of Forks. It was a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and the scent of the first lit up fireplaces.

The night before, the first snow had painted the town in silver and white, announcing the arrival of the holiday season. To Ella, the white veil was another splendid thing brought by the wintry weather. She could spend hours playing with it, making the most stunning statues in Charlie's backyard. According to her, it was the only thing she could do well.

Eager to get out of the police car and be able to step onto the wonderful snow, Ella wiped the foggy window with her fist as Charlie parked in front of the school.

"Got everything?" Charlie adjusted Ella's beanie hat down enough to cover her eyes. "Homework, lunch, and emergency mobile?"

"Yes, Charlie." She pulled her beanie up enough to be able to glue her eyes on the snow outside.

"Ready for the test?"

Ella wrinkled her button nose. Her eagerness diminished at the sound of the word test.

Charlie chuckled. "Very good luck, then"

"Thanks, Charlie." She opened the door and slid out of the car, dragging her backpack with her. She was going to need a lot of luck indeed. "See you later."

"Be careful on the pavement, Kiddo!" Charlie cringed when he saw her running on the slippery pavement. Ella reminded him so much of Bella; they both had the talent of tripping over themselves.

To Charlie, Ella was a little puzzle. He never understood why Carlisle and Esme couldn't take care of their own child, he knew that Sue was acquainted with the entire story, but truly; if it was related to Jacob and the fact that the Cullens produced the fastest growing kids in the world, he didn't want to know. He simply took Ella in, because Edward and Bella begged him to do so, and promised to raise her as he would raise his own child. It was true that Ella's growth disorder was a concern to him, since she had grown incredibly fast the last couple of years, but the fact that she looked healthy gave him peace.

He smiled a little when he saw her jump into the snow.

Avoiding the slippery pavement, Ella buried her boots in the ice, enjoying every second of it. She listened carefully to the crunching sound under her boots as she stepped on it. It seemed so clear that morning, and delicious! She wondered if there was enough syrup in Forks to turn the entire town into shaved ice of different flavors.

Unconsciously, her hand slid into the pocket of her coat.

There was no reason not to be happy, even when she had a school test. Ella had finally found a little piece from her past, and something she was sure her parents once touched. Her fingers curled around the locket she found in her stuffed friend, Moo.

Oblivious to the world around her, she walked into the school recalling her dream. There were other people in that dream, but everything was so blurry she couldn't remember anything well. Ella couldn't help but wonder who they all were.

She dropped the backpack by the desk, and as she sat, she suddenly brought the locket out to read the inscription again.

_Forever in our hearts._

It was as if those words had given her a new way of viewing her life. Now, Ella was sure she hadn't been abandoned; she was once loved by her parents.

"My dad is bringing my Christmas dress from New York," someone spoke by her side. It was the leader of the most important clique in Ella's year. The girl was eleven years old, but to Ella, she looked like a grownup. "I'm going to look amazing; my dad always buys me the best."

"My mom is sewing me a dress with French linen," another girl spoke.

Ella squeezed the locket in her hands. She had seen her Momma sewing Moo in dreams, and she was certain her mom would have sewed her a dress for the Christmas recital, too. It could have been made out of a potato sack, but it would've been the most beautiful dress, only because her mother made it.

"Ella Swan," one of the voices asked. "What are you going to wear for the Christmas Eve recital?" Ella felt a tap on her shoulder. It was time for her to face the elite of the fifth grade.

"Ella is going to be a pumpkin pie." One of the other girls snorted, and the rest of the group followed her in giggles and laughs.

Making fun of her intelligence wasn't humorous to Ella. She had to agree that she wasn't the smartest girl in school, but she wasn't as slow as they painted her.

"I don't know what I'm going to wear yet." She replied with the soft voice that characterized her.

"Good Morning," Miss Cole fortunately interrupted, closing the classroom's door. "Please put everything away."

Ella froze in her seat. They had a test today and she hadn't studied, not even a bit. She had been falling asleep all the day before, and she was feeling sleepy again.

"We're going to have an oral test today," the teacher explained.

Ella's golden eyes widened as anxiety took her over. She suddenly wanted to disappear. She wished she had an invisibility cloak like the one Harry Potter had.

"Ella."

The teacher's voice made Ella's stomach twist into a horrible knot. Her face began to burn in embarrassment. She was going to fail in front of the class, and it was going to be awful. They were going to make fun of her for the rest of her life. The teacher was going to reprimand her, call Charlie and Sue, and they were all going to be terribly disappointed in her.

"We're going to start with you," Miss Cole smiled. "Please, stand up."

Ella stood nervously from her desk, wishing the Earth would open to swallow her up.

"Two questions from the American and French Revolution. We'll go from easy to difficult, alright?"

_French Revolution? _Ella thought to herself. _Why? She wasn't even French_!

She assented with an insecure nod, squeezing the locket in her hand. An earthquake or someone setting the school on fire were the only things in Ella's mind.

"When did the Colonial period begin?"

_When did the…_How could she possibly know that? She hadn't even been born yet!

Ella opened her mouth to speak, but there was nothing to say.

She simply didn't know.

"Pumpkin Ella hasn't studied." Someone whispered behind her.

Miss Cole tapped her fingers on the desk. "Ella?"

"I'm sorry," Ella breathed heavily. "Could you repeat the question, please?"

"When did the American Colonial period begin?" Miss Cole repeated patiently, but by the way she looked, Ella was sure she wasn't going to repeat the question again.

Ella closed her eyes, trying hard to remember the tiny bits she had heard in classes before_. When did the American Colonial period begin? When did it begin? 1989?_

"Ella?" Miss Cole grabbed the red pen on the desk, and that only meant one thing.

"The Colonial period began in 1607 with the arrival of settlers in Jamestown, Virginia." Ella suddenly blurted out. She had no idea how she knew that answer. It was…shocking. A little confused, Ella looked around her. The class seemed to be stunned as well.

"Good…" Mrs. Cole looked a little surprised too. "Now, would you to tell me the thirteen colonies in order of settlement."

Ella breathed heavily. _In order of settlement; that was unkind_.

The little girl opened her mouth to honestly tell Miss Cole that she didn't know the answer, but instead her voice pronounced the thirteen colonies in correct order of settlement.

"…and Georgia."

Silence invaded the classroom.

"Has she eaten an encyclopedia or something?" Someone whispered.

Ella was stunned. She had never been able to memorize a list of things completely; much less a list she hadn't studied at all. It was as if she could answer any question if asked.

"Very good, Ella." I see you have studied." Miss Cole smiled satisfied. "Finally, what phrase expresses the spirit of the French Revolution?"

Ella almost lost balance at the sudden vision in her mind. A teenage boy and a girl of marbled skin like hers were staring at her. A chessboard was lying between her and them. All of a sudden, the boy stopped staring at her to shake his head in disapproval.

_"Cheaters," he chuckled, his bronze hair softly caressed by the breeze. "You're all cheaters."_

"Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité." Ella pronounced her French with perfection.

Dizzy and confused, she sat back on her chair.

"Excellent!" Miss Cole wrote something in her handbook, and suddenly Ella could hear the sound of the pen scribbling on the paper so clearly, that it made her want to cover her ears. She dropped the locket in the pocket of her coat, feeling completely strange.

Her perfect answers, and that strange vision. Who was that boy? Why was he calling her, _cheaters_?

For a second, Ella thought she could hear the snow subtly crunching outside. To the rest of the class, the sound was imperceptible, but it was so clear to her. She turned to look out the window, and a shadow moved away extremely fast. Completely puzzled, she remained staring out the window. There was something outside, she could feel it.

Ella closed her eyes; anxiety began to build up inside her again. Things she couldn't explain were happening.

A hand on her shoulder made her jump, frightened.

"Ella?" Miss Cole was standing by her side. "Are you feeling well?"

Terrified but composed, Ella looked up at Miss Cole. Until that moment, the little girl hadn't noticed the red rim around the substitute teacher's irises. Somehow, it made Ella shudder.

**o)O(o**

Edward's confession of his siblings being in Forks was suddenly forgotten, as anxiety took Carlisle and Esme over in the most bizarre manner.

It was the most peculiar sensation; Carlisle found himself in a classroom filled with children who were staring expectantly at him.

His hand gripped Esme's waist, who was just as absorbed as him.

"It's happening, again." Edward looked from his parents, to Bella.

Bella observed how Carlisle and Esme's minds were somewhere else.

"She doesn't know." Carlisle whispered. "She hasn't studied and…"

"…and she has a test." Esme completed his sentence.

"Block her." Edward was seeing the whole scene through Carlisle and Esme's eyes.

His parents frowned at the suggestion.

Edward shrugged. "You know how dangerous this is."

But Edward's suggestion was quickly left aside. Carlisle and Esme were being given the chance of living what their daughter was; it wasn't something they wanted to ban out of their lives, at least not in that moment.

Edward rolled his eyes, as Bella rested her chin on his shoulder. "You'd do the same."

"The Colonial period began in 1607, with the arrival of settlers in Jamestown, Virginia." Carlisle smiled a little.

"Cheaters," Edward chuckled, when he saw Esme closing her eyes, making a mental list of the thirteen colonies in order of settlement. "You're all cheaters."

**o)O(o**

As soon as the lunch bell rang, Ella dashed out to the schoolyard. She ignored the calls of the conceited girls she was forced to call friends. Instead, she stood out in the middle of the yard, focused on the sounds and familiar perfumes in the air.

She had the feeling someone was watching her. Looking around discreetly, she only caught a glimpse of a few kids who were coming out to play outside with the snow.

Her eyes inspected the trees around her. Covered in a veil of silver and white, the nearby oaks seemed particularly dazzling that day.

With the snow crunching under her boots, Ella took a few steps until she stood before them.

The trees seemed to be made of crystal leaves; they looked majestic.

She tilted her head to one side, wondering what was in those trees that called her interest so much. There was a sweet fragrance coming from them; it was a mixture of different perfumes that made her feel as if she were…home.

"Ella?"

Ella jumped, startled.

The leader of the clique was behind her. "I need you to write a few things for us. Come now."

Ella remained standing in front of the oak trees for a few seconds, before leaving to help her so called friends.

The surroundings remained silent, until Ella was out of sight.

"She is so adorable," a sweet soft voice came from the top of one tree.

"She is. Alice you're standing on my hand." Emmett pulled his hand from under Alice's boot.

"Carlisle is going to be so mad about this," Rosalie shook her head, smiling a little at their mischief. They had all been observing Ella in silvery winter clothes, as if trying to fool the own snow about their presence.

"Not if I can help it," Jasper smirked from his spot in the next tree.

Renesmee swung from one branch to another. "Now what?"

"Now, we bring Ella home with us." Alice's voice tinkled in the winter breeze.

* * *

_You must be thinking that the beginning was a little sad, but it was needed._

_Do you think Ella is a walking encyclopaedia? Are Carlisle and Esme travelling to Forks to see their daughter? Is Miss Cole a vampire? Is Emmett going to chop off Edward's manhood? Who's going to sew Ella's Christmas dress? Stay tuned!_

_Hope you enjoyed it. Comments and complaints are always appreciated. Again, thanks for reading._


	21. Like the Loch Ness Monster

_I'm sorry this update is arriving to you one week late, but dancing in the shower cost me a nice fall and a few stitches on the elbow, something that delayed it all._

_Thanks to Mackenzie L. for her patience, and her super beta powers._

_Thanks to: **Jenna**, **Delectable Sweetness**, **emmettlover4everandalway**s, **LissyCarlisleCullen**, and **Stop Dreaming** for their past comments, which I haven't been able to reply because of a glitch in the site. I'll try to reply them as soon as possible, though._

_Note (1) to the ones who asked, Sweet Temptations is **on hiatus** until I finish this story._

**_Note (2) Twilight Saga wolves tie their clothes around their ankles, for the moment they dedide to morph back to their original human form._**

* * *

**Chapter XXI**

**Like the Loch Ness Monster**

It was the first time Ella was breaking one of the hundred rules Charlie and Sue had set up for her.

After school, she was supposed to take the bus with the rest of the kids. Instead, she decided to walk back home.

The weather was chilly, and the snow was four inches high, but that didn't stop her. After the series of strange events that occurred in school, she needed to be alone, and so dragging her backpack behind, Ella walked on one side of the road.

There was definitely something different in the air, but no one seemed to notice it except her. The wintry fragrances were different; there was something new, but familiar at the same time. It was confusing, but it didn't alarm her; not as much as the vision that called her a cheater, or the fact that she was now a walking encyclopedia.

Ella smiled a little.

She was known to have a poor performance in school, but after the brilliant test she passed that morning, nobody was going to call her _Pumpkin_ in a pejorative way, ever again.

She glanced at the trees by her side as she walked.

_Acer Circinatum._

The Latin name of the trees came to her mind almost instantly. How did she know that? Why did she suddenly know everything?

Ella looked up at the sky. Maybe the Great Spirit had mercy on her and had finally granted her one of her wishes.

Without warning a sharp sound cracked by the trees nearby, startling her. Terrified birds flew away from the spot, making Ella step backwards. Her eyes studied the dense maple trees. Behind them was the enigmatic forest of Forks.

Perhaps it hadn't been a good idea to walk home alone.

Ella quickened her pace. She took a few steps with the strange sensation of being watched. Her breathing hastened as her senses began to search for an intruder. Out of the blue, the sounds of the forest were clearer: the flow of the river, a car in the distance, a splash, a wolf…_a wolf_.

All sounds converged in her head to a point at which her gloved hands dropped her backpack to cover her ears, but her amber eyes were open wide, scrutinizing the trees next to her.

That's when she saw the intruder.

A pair of deep eyes that seemed too intelligent to be the ones of an animal, were lost among the darkness of the branches. They examined her before disappearing within the shadows of the trees.

Ella looked around before walking with determination into the trees. She had been warned not to enter the woods alone before, but since she was already breaking one rule, breaking another one wouldn't make a big difference.

She ventured into the forest, knowing well what she was doing, and she hadn't taken a few steps when she found the owner of the eyes.

A giant wolf of russet brown fur was staring at her. Not two seconds later she found herself surrounded by two more giant wolves. Distracted by the presence of the new ones, the russet brown wolf gave her a soft nudge with the nose.

"Jacob." Ella almost lost balance. "You shouldn't be wolfing around. You scared me."

Jacob walked around Ella before leaving to hide behind the trees, phasing as he did. Leah and Seth remained by Ella's side.

"We wouldn't be doing this if you weren't breaking the rules." Jacob appeared again.

Ella wrinkled her nose the way she always did when she was embarrassed. "I couldn't go back home in the bus."

Seth muzzled her shoulder. Ella giggled, enveloping her arms around the wolf's neck.

"You have a mobile for a reason, Ella." Jacob frowned. "We were worried about you."

Ella's attention drifted from the conversation abruptly, her five senses suddenly focused on the trees around them.

"Ella?"

The wolves shared a look with Jacob.

"There's something different," Ella breathed in, trying to capture that perfume in the air. "There's something different in the air…" She paused to look at Jacob. "Can't you feel it?"

Jacob looked perplexed. He could indeed feel it; it was the presence of vampires. But the fact that Ella could sense it stunned him. "What can you feel, Ella?"

"I don't know..." The little girl's eyes explored the white forest around them. "Strange things have been happening all day."

"Really?" Jacob went to scoop Ella in his arms, sitting her on Seth's back while Leah explored the surroundings with suspicion. "What kinds of things? Let's go guys."

It was a picture from a strange fairytale: a little girl sitting on a giant wolf, accompanied by a Quileute boy, and another wolf; all four walking through the snowy forest.

"It's like I can hear things better whenever I want to, and I got an A+ in Social Studies!" Ella exclaimed.

Jacob snorted. "That's really extraordinary, Ella."

"I'm serious, Jacob." Ella's hands gripped Seth's fur. "I knew every answer, and I promise that it wasn't _me_ who was answering. It was so strange. I didn't study _anything."_

"Well, you're a role model, Little Butterfly." Jacob chuckled.

As they approached Charlie's house, Leah morphed back into a human right behind them.

"Go ahead with Ella, Seth." Jacob told him.

Ella wrapped her arms tightly around Seth's neck, and the wolf raced off towards Charlie's backyard. She giggled, burying her face in the thick fur.

Jacob and Leah remained behind, walking together.

"She can feel them, too." Leah observed.

"I know. I never thought she would." Jacob looked at the branches above them. Two vampires had been accompanying them all the time.

"Who's going to tell her?" Leah looked up too.

The two vampires jumped from their hidden spot on the closest trees to the ground.

"Us!" Alice happily smiled.

"Carlisle isn't going to approve." Jacob insisted.

"But _you _do approve, right?" Nessie poked Jacob.

**o)O(o**

Ella sat on the edge of her bed, watching the snow fall out the window. She closed her eyes, trying to feel the tiny snowflakes touching the roof outside. All of a sudden she could hear them.

The sound was so clear.

It was as if she could control the sharpness of her hearing at her will.

Charlie, Sue, and Jacob were talking downstairs - gossiping. She tried to listen what they were saying too, but something blocked it. Ella had the unexpected sensation of being told that it was wrong to listen to someone else's conversation. It felt so bizarre, just like when she was answering the questions in class.

The sound of tiny pebbles hitting her window pulled her out of her reverie. She went to look out the window, and Seth was standing out in the snowy garden. "You're not in trouble." He whispered.

"You sure?" She asked quietly, covering her mouth just in case.

Seth assented, reassuring Ella she was safe, even when she disobeyed.

The sound of footsteps approaching made her return quickly to her spot on the bed.

It was Charlie. He walked into to the room, holding a cup of the most delicious hot chocolate.

Ella beamed. Apparently she wasn't going to be grounded.

"I know we never talk about them." He left the cup in Ella's hands. "But it's for a good reason."

Ella already knew he was talking about her parents. She wished she could ask him the many things she wondered about regarding her family, but Charlie and Sue never wanted to answer her questions.

Charlie began to pace nervously in the room.

"Your mother... She was…_is _a beautiful woman, and your father…They are both good people." He stopped pacing. "I know you have many questions in that little head of yours." Charlie finally looked at her. "But those questions can only be answered by your true parents."

Ella's eyes dimmed in disappointment. How could she find the answers she sought when her parents were not present to share them with her?

"They will come for you." Charlie suddenly squatted before Ella. "When the right time comes, they will come for you. You should know that…and you should know that they loved you. They loved you very much."

Ella's features softened. "...Are they going to come for me?" She was suddenly in shock.

"Yes, Little Butterfly." Charlie's hand went to tousle her hair with tenderness. "They will come for you."

Ella swallowed hard. A knot of emotions began to build up in her throat. There was only one question she felt compelled to ask.

"When?" Her question was a choked whisper.

Jacob appeared by the bedroom door. "When the right time comes." He replied, very sure that moment would come in less than 24 hours.

**o)O(o**

"Hi, Ella!" Emmett smiled broadly. "I'm Emmett, and I'm your big brother. I'm a vampire, and you're a rare specimen with a super power."

Rosalie chuckled from her spot on the sofa. "We can't tell her that."

"No, we can't!" Curling by Rosalie's side, Renesmee laughed too.

"It's going to be a little complicated." Alice said as she placed a new flower arrangement on Edward's piano.

"It's going to be more than complicated." Jasper gave a final polish to the instrument. "I believe we're going to cross the line if we bring her here..."

"We came here; that's enough to make the volcano explode." Alice jumped up to wrap her arms around Jasper's shoulders. "Besides, we're only going to invite her for dinner...just to see how happy she is."

"Can't you see anything, Alice?" Rosalie interrupted.

"They are coming." Alice shrugged. "But we already knew it would happen."

"Is Papa Carlisle going to be cross?" Renesmee began to nervously twist the curls of her hair.

Alice made a gesture that revealed a positive scenario.

"He is furious!" Emmett smiled. "I've never seen Carlisle truly furious!"

"Dang, we're in trouble." Rosalie smirked.

"Not if we put Ella in between us and him." Emmett moved his eyebrows up and down.

"Coward…" Jasper sneered.

"But we're doing all this because we have a good reason." Renesmee bit her lower lip. She hadn't been on good terms with her granddad ever since they left Ella behind, and this time they were going too far, but it was justified. "...Right?"

**o)O(o**

They would come for her; her parents would come for her someday. That was so much more than what Ella expected to learn about her blurry past.

As she walked from Charlie's police car to the school, she beamed at the idea of finally meeting them. The thought made her happy and uneasy at the same time.

But how long would Mom and Dad take to come back to Forks?

Ella always assumed that they couldn't afford to raise her on their own, and that was the reason why they left her with Charlie and Sue. Maybe they were still saving so she could later live with them.

A sappy smile appeared on her face as she looked up at the sky.

It was unusually blue that day, and impish sunrays were threatening to sneak through the clouds. In that moment, Ella had the peculiar feeling that something was going to happen - something big.

She adjusted the gloves on her hands, and pulled her beanie down enough to almost cover her eyes. It was lucky that her winter clothes shielded her from the sun; otherwise Jacob would have to come for her, and her school day would be ruined…but that would be good.

She smirked.

School was always the last place she wanted to be.

In an unexpected twist of fate, the slippery pavement betrayed her, and Ella slipped backwards onto the concrete.

It hurt, badly.

Her beanie hat didn't protect her head from hitting hard against the ground.

She heard some kids snickering around her.

_How embarrassing._ She closed her eyes tightly, holding back tears of pain and humiliation. Now they were going to pick on her.

Why couldn't Mom and Dad arrive faster to take her away from all this?

It wasn't until she felt a couple of hands touching her face, that Ella opened her eyes.

"Are you alright?" A beautiful pair of deep chocolate eyes were staring at her.

A little taken aback, Ella didn't say a word.

It was a girl her age. Her deep brown eyes were fairly expressive, and her bronze colored hair cascaded perfectly past her back.

With a caring smile, the girl extended her palms to help Ella up. The peculiar perfume Ella caught in the air grew in intensity as she got closer to the strange girl.

Ella stood with difficulty, staring at the young stranger with interest. She had never seen her before, but there was something familiar about her. She was going to thank her, but then the popular girls from her class pushed Ella aside in order to welcome the beautiful stranger.

With her pride and head hurt, Ella dragged her feet into the school.

For a second, she stopped to look back at the girl.

Their eyes met.

Ella was sure she had seen her before, but where?

**o)O(o**

"Don't you think I haven't noticed that you're doing this on purpose." Carlisle was fuming.

"On purpose?" Edward raised his hands innocently in the air. "Me?"

Esme and Bella tried hard to hold back their smiles, leaning against the truck they rented hours earlier. It was now broken, and they were standing on the side of a desolate road, lost somewhere in a very frosty Utah.

"Why would I do it on purpose?" Edward went to the back of the truck to pull out a new tire. "This car is good." He softly patted the old Ford Pickup, and two of the fenders fell off.

Bella covered her lips to avoid laughing, and Esme choked on a chuckle before moving to stand by her husband's side. "He'll fix it." She placed her hand on Carlisle's shoulder. "And we'll be back on our way soon."

Carlisle eyed Esme, and then Edward. He knew he shouldn't have trusted his son to rent the car.

"Right." Edward smirked while he changed the tire. "It's not my fault all flights were canceled because of the snowstorm and that nobody had a decent car for rent…Why don't you go have a deer while I finish this?" He grinned.

Carlisle's body tensed. It was clear to him that Edward was putting up a deliberate delay. The rest of his sons and daughters were probably in on it...

Esme buried her face in Carlisle's arm, as if that could hide her smile. "Carlisle, please…"

He entwined his fingers with hers and pulled her along with him for a walk in the snow. "You'd better fix it before we come back, Edward. If not, I'm going to personally retouch your Volvo."

Esme giggled as they walked off together into the snowy forest.

"It's not funny. He is delaying us on purpose," Carlisle complained. "They are all turning a blind eye on us."

Unexpectedly, Carlisle felt himself pressed against the trunk of a tree.

Esme had trapped him, and her playful lips touched his with a kiss. "Shut up." She breathed out a smile. "We're going to see her."

His features softened. He knew what she meant. Carlisle hadn't given it a thought until now, but it was true. They were going to see Ella.

A soft smile appeared on his face. They were going to see their little daughter. "I'm being ridiculous, aren't I?"

Esme hummed softly, pressing another kiss onto his lips. His arms embraced her with tenderness. "Please, forgive me." He whispered into her hair. "All this is …too much, and I've made you miserable."

"There's nothing to forgive." She snuggled against him.

He kissed her forehead. "What do we do now?"

"We'll just let everything flow naturally and..." Esme began to play with the buttons of his coat, "...we'll make out until Edward finishes fixing the truck." She teased his lips.

"Sounds like a plan…" Carlisle chuckled, responding with another kiss.

Before they could continue with their plan, the horrible sound of heavy metal falling apart reached their ears.

Edward's voice broke the silence in the distance.

"Neither of you happen to have any duct tape, do you?"

**o)O(o**

At lunchtime, Ella sat on a bench outside her school waiting for Jacob to arrive and take her home. It hadn't been a good day. She had been isolated by the girls because of her embarrassing fall, and now they were picking on her because she was suddenly too smart.

She sighed.

The first thing she was going to ask Mom and Dad when they came for her, was if she could be homeschooled.

"Hi."

Ella jumped with a start.

It was the new girl. She had somehow showed up out of nowhere, standing at Ella's side. "Can I sit with you?"

Ella consented awkwardly, making a space for her to sit.

"You hit your head hard this morning." The new girl spoke. "Hope it isn't hurting."

Ella touched the back of her head. "It's good." She smiled shyly before looking down at her lap. Making friends wasn't easy for her.

There was an awkward silence until Ella spoke again.

"Thanks for helping."

Ella and the new girl exchanged looks, sealing what promised to be an eternal friendship with smiles.

"You're welcome." The chocolate eyed girl opened a paper bag she had in her hands to take a peek inside. She lifted an eyebrow at the content.

"You're new," Ella finally spoke. She could try making friends with her. "In town, I mean."

"I used to live here." New girl took out a homemade cookie from the paper bag. "We returned yesterday, my family and I." She explained. "Want one?" She offered Ella a cookie.

"Thanks." Ella smiled. "Did you move away?"

"Sort of," New girl shrugged, biting the cookie in her hand. "My grandparents had an awkward vacation plan, and we had to follow them. They are the heads of the family, and well... you know how grandparents can be."

"Oh," Ella spoke softly. "I don't have grandparents... _or_ parents." She stammered with her words. "I mean, I'm sure I _have _them, but I've never _seen_ them."

New girl's expression turned gloomy. She didn't mean to make Ella feel bad. "I can share mine with you." She made a silly face.

Ella laughed.

"I mean it." New girl smiled. "I have a large family. We're like the Von Trapps, music and all, but without the nuns."

Ella suddenly felt happy and comfortable. She felt like she was making a new friend, a true friend. "Do you have brothers and sisters?" She inquired, dreaming about having a large family.

"Yes." Chocolate eyed girl smiled. "Well, it's complicated. My mom and dad had me when they were teenagers…they still are." She tried to explain. "My uncles and aunts are like my big siblings."

Ella looked puzzled. How could this girl's parents still be teenagers?

"That's why my grandparents are the heads of the family." New Girl explained.

It was certainly difficult to understand, but to Ella, her own life was more complicated. "I live with my Uncle Charlie and Aunt Sue; they adopted me after my parents left me with them… My family is really small."

"My family is peculiar…" New Girl smirked. "Hey, how about if you come to my house? We'll have dinner together, and you can meet my family."

Ella's expression brightened, but soon her happiness vanished. "Aunt Sue isn't going to let me go; she never allows me to go alone anywhere."

"She'll let you come, you'll see. Just ask her."

"I'll try." Ella nodded wearily. "Where do you live?"

"Have you ever heard of the house in the forest over the Calawah River?"

Ella's look changed into one of hesitation. She had heard many stories about a haunted house in the forest beyond Forks.

"That's where I live." The new girl left her place on the bench as soon as she saw a car parking in front of the school. "Don't forget to ask your aunt."

"Wait," Ella followed her. "I didn't ask your name."

"Oh," The girl turned around. "They call me Nessie...like the Loch Ness monster." She beamed, and quickly left Ella's side.

Ella couldn't help but smile. She liked Nessie.

"I'm Ella." She spoke quietly, and even though Nessie was already too far away to hear, she turned around.

"I know."

Nessie waved over her shoulder as she hopped into the most amazing car Ella had seen in her life.

* * *

_Ella can sense her family, and is developing a few abilities. Will she be allowed to have dinner with Nessie's family? Why is Edward deliberately delaying Carlisle & Esme? _

_Thanks so much for reading. Your comments are always appreciated. :)_


	22. Charades of Love

_Thanks a lot to Mackenzie L. for her mighty beta powers_

_And thanks to the Twitter peeps encouragement; you girls make this story fun to write._

* * *

**Chapter XII**

**Charades of Love**

In all his existence, Edward had never done something so unwise for his siblings.

Dismounting the truck was easy, but misleading his vampire parents wasn't.

His cell phone buzzed in his pocket for a second time that day. Right away, he moved swiftly away from the gas station, crossing the empty highway towards the thick forest.

"Alice…" He answered his phone while moving speedily into the woods.

"Shush, listen." Alice spoke quickly. "We need more time."

"Excuse me?" Edward stopped to turn around, giving a distrustful look in the direction of the gas station. He hoped Carlisle and Esme didn't notice he was gone. "You take my daughter, you text me asking for 'time', and now you dare to call after not answering my calls? Do you know how pissed Carlisle is with all this?"

"Yes!" Alice answered happily, ignoring Edward's mood. "Ella is so sweet. She is coming to dinner with us; we invited her!"

"You…what?" Edward walked even further into the forest, for the fear Carlisle and Esme could listen. "Don't you dare to tell Ella a thing." He whispered hurriedly.

"We're not going to tell her anything, but we're still inviting her for dinner. Could you please give us more time until dinner is over? You know what would happen if you all arrived while Ella was still here."

"Excuse me, Alice…" Edward raised his finger in the air, about to admonish her. "But I'm not…"

"Thanks! We love you Edward!" Alice hung up.

Edward remained staring at his phone. His sister was a nutcase; they were all insane.

Out of the blue, Bella came into sight, approaching him. "They rented a new car and Carlisle says he is going to drive – not you." She smiled, but soon she noticed the look on Edward's face. "What's up?"

"They invited Ella for dinner." Edward handed her the phone.

Bella's jaw dropped. "They did what?"

"They need more time, just until the dinner is over." He turned to look at the highway. "I made the truck go slow, but if Carlisle is driving a new car, that's going to change."

Bella chewed her lower lip. "It's going to be a spectacle if we arrive earlier."

"Indeed."

"Now what?" Bella tried to scheme something quickly.

"Not sure."

They remained silent, until their senses warned them that Carlisle and Esme were coming closer.

"I love you," Bella shaped the words with her lips. "Please, forgive me."

Edward looked puzzled. It wasn't until he saw her hand lifting in the air that he understood.

Before Carlisle and Esme's wide eyes, Bella slapped him hard across the face.

A short silence enveloped them all.

"I never thought you capable of that." Bella threw him a fierce look and ran away from him.

Edward simply stood there, stunned by how the whole scene must have looked, but also amused by Bella's quick idea.

"I…" He told Carlisle and Esme. "I think we're going to need a little moment, please."

Suppressing a smile, Edward ran away too, tracking the path his wife followed. He was sure Bella and him were going to make hours out of that 'little moment'. It was a good way of making his parents wait without raising any suspicions.

Carlisle and Esme remained standing in their places.

Completely baffled, they looked at each other as delicate snowflakes began to adorn their hair.

"That was…" Carlisle ran his hand through his hair. "Would you like to go back to the gas station?"

Esme tilted her head to one side, knowing already it would be a long day. "I prefer the Motel."

**o)O(o**

"…and this girl invited me to dinner with her family today." Ella crossed her fingers. She really wanted to go to Nessie's house. "I was wondering if you would let me go…"

"…To her house?" Charlie spoke; his eyes were glued to the TV. He was watching the game with Billy Black. "What did you say her name was?" He stretched his hand to grab a snack from the coffee table.

"Nessie." Ella began to twist the hem of her sweater.

"Like the Loch Ness monster?" Billy Black eyed Charlie, and gave Ella a wink.

"Yes, Billy!" She smiled.

"Sure," Charlie blurted out. "Be good. Jacob will take you."

Ella looked in awe from Charlie, to Billy. _Did he say sure?_

"You heard right." Billy gave her a warm smile. "Go upstairs, and get ready to visit your friend."

Ella laughed in disbelief. "Thank you!" She bounced happily before running upstairs; tripping on her way, but incredibly excited with the idea.

Charlie shook his head, a little concerned. "I hope they know what they're doing."

"They do." Billy shifted in his wheelchair. "She belongs with them."

**o)O(o**

"It's clean." Carlisle ran his finger on the surface of the window frame. The ground floor motel next to the gas station seemed to be from the 70s. The room smelled musty, the carpet was timeworn, and the curtains were unlined, but according to Carlisle, it was clean.

"That's good, because we're staying here until they make up". Esme tossed her thick coat onto the bed.

"Are we going to continue our make out session?" Carlisle began to unbutton his coat, as well.

"No." Esme sat on the bed, pulling her boots out. "We're going to cuddle." She smiled.

"I like cuddling with you." Carlisle smiled.

Esme giggled. "Just give me a moment, I need to refresh myself." She began to walk to the bathroom.

Carlisle sat on the border of the bed, fidgeting on his seat.

"Why are you so nervous?" He felt Esme crawling back on the bed, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. He turned around to hug her as well, softly pulling her along with him to rest back on the bed.

"Aren't you?" He ran his hand through her hair.

"Just a little."

He gave her a look.

"Alright, more than a just a little." Esme admitted. "I only want to see her, know if she is happy…and maybe stalk her." She smiled.

Carlisle chuckled.

"Would you like us to stay in Forks until Ella is old enough to hear the truth from us?"

Esme smiled happily, playfully entwining her legs with his. "That's the plan. Yes, Doctor." Her feet began to pull his boots out.

He laughed softly. "We're in a motel," Carlisle buried his face in the crook of her neck. "Do you know how dirty this is?"

"I thought you said it was clean!" She laughed, as his lips travelled down her neck and his hands slid past the small of her back.

Esme immediately moved away from him. "And I thought you didn't want to touch me that way."

She held a naughty smile before moving seductively towards the bathroom, giving Carlisle a very suggestive look before walking into it.

Smiling to herself, Esme opened the tap, letting the water flow on her hands. A moment later, Carlisle was standing behind her, stretching his arms under hers, enclosing her hands in his. Their wedding bands made a soft clink only they could hear when touching each other.

"I do want to," He spoke softly against her hair. "But we shouldn't."

Esme looked at him through the mirror in front of them, "I don't see any chance of it happening again. I don't have a cycle."

"You didn't have one when we conceived last time." Carlisle explained.

"It was just a lost…little egg." Esme said in her defense.

Confused, Carlisle stared at her for a short moment before bursting in laugher. "You haven't changed a bit since the very first time we met." He hugged her closer.

Esme chuckled, embracing him too. "You wanted to have lots of babies with me the first time you saw me." She rested her chin on his chest, looking up at him.

Carlisle smiled sappily.

"You wanted me." Esme sang.

"I still do,"

"So you admit it." She winked an eye.

"I admit that I want you now." He nuzzled her.

"I like that admission…" Esme's fingers began to unbutton his shirt.

**o)O(o**

"What do you think they must be thinking?" Bella chewed her lower lip, as she and Edward sat by the shadow of a tree in the snow.

"They must be sitting in the car, worried about us." Edward pulled his wife into an embrace. "You know how paternal they are."

"They must be thinking I'm horrible."

"Nah," Edward grinned, standing up. "Remember they have Rosalie for daughter…Come on, let's go."

Bella laughed, giving him a soft smack on the shoulder.

They walked back to the gas station, but instead of heading to the new rental car, Edward and Bella were led to the motel by the traces Carlisle and Esme left.

Edward didn't have to knock on the door since it was already opened. Carlisle and Esme were sitting cross-legged on the bed, laughing and chatting before a chess game like a couple of human teenagers.

Edward frowned. He left them for about two hours and they decided to play a board game.

"Hey, better now?" Esme stood from the bed to greet them.

"Sorry about that display of… adrenaline." Bella followed Edward closely.

"No problem," Carlisle assured them. "We understand."

"Are we ready to leave now?" Esme went to pick up her coat.

"Oh yes, unless you want to continue playing." Edward smirked. Sometimes, reading minds was blissfully fun.

"We would've continued playing if you had kept on with your charade in the forest." Carlisle smirked too.

Edward held a smile. "I'm still your favorite, am I not?"

"Boys..." Esme smiled, a little embarrassed. "Let's go."

"Wait Esme, your sweater…" Bella stopped her. She chewed her lower lip to avoid a smile as she continued speaking. "It's inside out."

Esme looked casually at the sweater she was wearing, before Carlisle helped her with her coat. "I like it this way," She innocently smiled. "Alice says it's trendy."

"Yeah, trendy…" Edward gave Carlisle a playful shoulder nudge.

**o)O(o**

It was the most extraordinary house Ella had ever seen. Based on the tales told by the kids in school, she had always imagined the haunted house in the forest a dark place, filled with spider webs, and surrounded by scary cracking trees.

But the house the mischievous kids talked about during Halloween had to be another one.

"It's amazing," She whispered to Jacob, trying to take a peek through the glass walls as they walked up the front stairs to the door.

"Yeah." Jacob raised an eyebrow, trying to keep on with the charade. "Pretty house..."

Not a minute passed before he saw the shadow of his imprintee coming to open the door.

"Hi!" Nessie immediately pulled Ella into the house. Jacob followed them, and he waved at Nessie behind Ella's back, but Nessie shot him a warning look.

They had to avoid raising any suspicions in Ella.

As soon as they stepped into the house, a warm, comforting air enveloped Ella. Her eyes looked around her, carefully observing the furniture, the ornaments and the paintings on the walls. Everything looked exquisite. "Your house is incredible" She whispered.

It was definitely the home of a wealthy family.

"My house is your house." Nessie smiled a little at the obviousness of her words. "Grandmom made it. She restored and redecorated everything with her own hands. I was told she even knocked down a few walls all by herself."

Ella was stunned. Nessie's grandma had to be a combination of Hulk and Hercules.

As they walked in, a bookshelf filled with silver picture frames of different shapes and sizes caught Ella's attention. She moved closer to it with curiosity, followed by Nessie.

"My mom and dad the day they got married." Nessie spoke, following Ella's gaze on the photo.

Ella's stomach twisted. Was her mind playing tricks on her? They looked exactly like the boy and the girl she saw in her vision; he was the boy who called her a cheater…

Noticing the look on Ella's face, Renesmee quickly pulled a picture frame in front of the previous one.

"These are Uncle Jasper and Uncle Emmett arm wrestling..." Nessie tried to distract Ella whilst her other hand subtly hid a picture frame that featured Carlisle and Esme, behind another frame. "But my mom always beat them."

The sound of pots and pans hitting the floor, followed by the laugher of two men, reached them from the kitchen.

"They're cooking." Nessie explained with a smile.

"Hi!" The kitchen door opened, and the soft silhouettes of two grownup girls walked gracefully towards them. "I'm Alice." She went straight to give Ella a big hug.

Alice's particular perfume suddenly took Ella somewhere else, to a place where two older girls used to dress her baby-self in the prettiest dresses, taking dozen of photos in secrecy…

"I'm Rosalie." The blonde girl looked truly touched by her presence.

To Ella, Rosalie and Alice felt so cozy.

"Still going after little girls?" Rosalie suddenly shot a glance to Jacob standing far on the back.

"Why?" Jacob gave a step forward. "You want to be one of them too?"

"Guys…" Alice interrupted with a warning glare. "Why don't we go outside for a chat until dinner is ready?"

**o)O(o**

Sitting on the back seat, Edward and Bella eyed each other apprehensively when they crossed the Idaho state border to Washington State.

They needed a little more time.

If he were a kid, Edward would complain about wanting to go to the bathroom, or of a massive stomachache, but those things were out of question; he wasn't a kid anymore…

"I want to hunt." He blurted out.

Carlisle looked at him through the rear mirror. "We'll get there soon, Edward."

"I want to hunt now." He protested. Yes, acting like a kid was his last resort.

The teenager swallowed hard when Esme turned around to face him, and Carlisle's piercing eyes reflected on the mirror.

"I'm thirsty," He insisted.

"Can't you wait until we reach the peninsula?" Esme looked at him with those motherly eyes that made Edward feel the guilt of his lie.

"I might rip apart a couple of humans on the way if I do…"

"Your eyes look fine." Carlisle observed.

There was a short silence, Edward and Bella exchanged looks again.

Edward suddenly leaned forward, between the two front seats, and reached for the button to turn on the radio.

"Sorry," He smiled to Carlisle and Esme as he moved uncomfortably between them to turn the volume up.

He went back to his seat, humming.

"Remember when it was only the three of us travelling?" He placed his arm around Bella's shoulder. "I would be the one driving, and you were always on the back; smooching…" He pulled Bella closer to him. "But now you're driving, and Bella and I are on the back…" He lips touched Bella's softly at first, but soon the kiss escalated with eagerness into something that promised to fog the windows.

Carlisle suddenly stepped on the break and the car slid on the icy road for a few feet, before stopping in the middle of the highway.

His lips were pursed into a thin line.

"Before you ask me to get out of the car," Edward said in his defense. "I just want you to know that Ella is at home in this exact moment, and that what Bella and I are trying to do is to avoid both of you crossing paths with her."

**o)O(o**

"Can I say how amazing it is, again?" Ella laughed as they sat on a bench in the backyard, having the most delicious canapés Jasper had prepared. To Ella, Nessie's backyard looked like a real version of snow-white Narnia.

Everything was covered in immaculate snow. There were tree swings hanging from different maple trees, a beautiful birdbath on one side, a stunning fountain far behind, two classy benches; all kissed by the snow.

It looked picturesque.

"Did your grandma make all this too?"

"The fountain was a present to her, from my Mom and Uncle Emmett. They make pieces of art out of stone." Nessie smiled. "But yes, Grandmom decorated the rest."

They walked towards a swing. Ella placed one of her knees on the seat, studying it from top to bottom.

"Granddad hung them." Renesmee grabbed one of the ropes, swinging it a little, wondering if Ella could remember. "He made them for his littlest daughter and I."

A glimpse of Ella's forgotten past reached her mind. She saw Nessie's family in her thoughts. Nessie's mom was tickling her while they sat on a picnic cloth in that same garden. They were watching a blonde man sawing pieces of wood, and woman with caramel-colored hair attaching ropes to the tree branches.

"If Emmett swings on that thing and it's doesn't fall, then we'll be completely sure it's childproof." Nessie's dad squatted by their side, smiling at her.

Ella shut her eyes closed, trying to push the vision out of her mind. They couldn't belong to her; her mind was surely playing tricks on her again. Ella's fingers closed around one of the ropes.

Like petals of a white flower brought by the breeze, a little white butterfly pirouetted in the air before standing on her hand.

"It's so weird," She frowned a little. "It's not the season for butterflies…"

A few more suddenly appeared dancing around the girls. Renesmee observed the strange phenomenon with interest too.

"You know," Ella spoke softly, "Chief Black once told me that if you have a secret wish, you should capture a butterfly and whisper your wish to it." She moved her hand softly, closer for Renesmee to look at the tiny insect. "They make no sound, so they will keep it secret and carry your wish intact to the Great Spirit."

Nessie reached to touch the butterfly. To her surprise, the little creature didn't move. "And what have you wished for, Ella?"

The sounds of the front door of the house opening, welcoming an anxious exchange of new voices, made both of the girls look at each other.

In that moment, the butterflies flew away, and for the first time in her life, Ella didn't whisper her wish to any of them. She simply couldn't as her whole being entered in a state of shock. She couldn't move, even when she wanted to turn around.

The new voices in the house were awfully familiar, and so was the sound of the perfect steps.

The same fragrance and familiarity she had perceived all week long, reached an overwhelming intensity in that moment.

And the truth suddenly washed over her, as cold water running through her soul.

Like a movie, Ella saw her life flash before her eyes. One day she was with mom and dad, building swings; giggling and clapping. Next day, she woke up on a strange bed, and mom and dad weren't there anymore.

They gave her up.

Ella touched her chest, where her broken heart was. Breathing heavily, she finally managed to turn around.

Nessie's family was there, looking at her in awe, but Ella only had eyes for the woman of caramel hair and the blond man who had just arrived.

Her beautiful features twisted into a heartbreaking display of grief and pain.

"Mamma?" Ella broke down in tears. "Dad... Why did you let me go?"

Not a moment later she felt Mamma and Dad enfolding her in their arms.

It wasn't a vision, it wasn't a dream.

It was as real as the immeasurable love they always held for each other, ever since the time Ella was only a longing in their hearts.

* * *

_*sighs* The moment we all wanted. Crossing fingers you liked it._

_Did Carlisle make Edward and Bella get out of the car? What did Carlisle and Esme play in the motel? lol! Will the Volturi ever arrive? Stay tuned next week._

_Thank you for continuing reading; for your alerts, for adding this story to your favorites and thanks so much for your comments. I appreciate it all, a lot. :)_


	23. A Thousand Years

_Personal issues forced me to stop writing. Now that things are better, it's never too late to finish what I began, so if someone is still interested, here it is; Little Butterfly's final chapter._

_Thanks to Mackenzie for her super-beta powers._

_Thanks to Milene aka virgemilene, who inspired this chapter by telling me that the melody Edward composed for Carlisle and Esme in "Midnight Sun", needed a name._

_Note: Didyme was Marcus's wife and former member of the Volturi until she died at the hands of her brother, Aro._

* * *

**CHAPTER XXIII**

**A Thousand Years**

Ella knew her parents.

She knew their names, how old they truly were, and the reason why the color of their eyes matched perfectly.

Carlisle and Esme's souls were part of her, and so were the memories of their lives. Ella was able to tell the things they had lived even long before they met; things she had never witnessed.

"I remember you, Momma." Her fingers softly traced the contour of Esme's face, as if recognizing her. Ella had seen her in blurry dreams, but nothing could have prepared her for how beautiful and enchanting her momma was in person. Esme's sweet perfume pulled her into a world of long forgotten memories; memories of the infancy she hadn't been able to recall until then.

Esme hugged her daughter. Nothing else mattered but to finally be able to hold her child in her arms. Ella felt so fragile and petite, just like the day she was born.

The little girl burrowed in the safety of her mother's embrace. She didn't want to leave her ever again.

"It's over now." Esme left a soft kiss on the top of her head, trying to comfort her. "It's over." Her eyes lifted to meet Carlisle's.

His features showed the pain of being the one who decided to keep Ella away from the family. A knot of guilt twisted his heart when he saw how hurt his little girl was, and all the ache it had caused Esme.

"I'm sorry." He moved closer to embrace them both. "I'm so sorry." Pain could be felt in Carlisle's words. "We wanted to protect you... I wanted..."

Ella pulled away softly from her momma's embrace and placed her arms around her papa's neck.

She looked at him with the most beautiful, sincere eyes. "I love you, Papa."

She would forgive him for anything. Ella knew he loved her. Both of her parents loved her; they always did. "Don't be sad." She hugged him, and Carlisle felt a weight lifting off him.

"I love you too, my little one." He embraced his precious child.

Nothing would ever tear them apart again.

"Alice, it's rude to listen behind closed doors." Edward's voice could be heard outside the study.

It had been more than an hour since Carlisle, Esme, and Ella had locked themselves in the study. Curiosity was killing the ones who had touched Ella, and had lost their ability to hear behind walls.

"I can't hear anything." Alice whispered. "Don't push, Edward…"

Edward chuckled. It truly didn't matter. The whole family was gathered by the study's doors .

"You guys," Bella smiled, embracing her daughter. "You should stop."

"We can't, we've been frozen in our teens." Edward softly pushed Alice away from the door. Alice gave a silly giggle.

"Sometimes, you can both get to be so immature." Rosalie remarked.

"Shut up." Edward and Alice replied in unison. Their teasing expressions made Rosalie roll her eyes at them.

In the study, Ella listened at the voices behind the doors with inquisitiveness.

"That's your family." Carlisle told her.

"It's the craziest family ever." Esme added with a smile.

Ella sat quietly, staring at the closed doors across the room. Her family was standing right behind them.

The large family she always wished to have - she already had it. Ella could remember them so clearly. How could she have forgotten about them?

"Should we let them in?" Carlisle noticed the gleam of excitement in Ella's eyes.

The little girl assented with a tender smile. It was time to properly meet that crazy family again.

**o)O(o**

"I'm the oldest." Emmett said proudly.

"Though not necessarily the smartest..." Edward added.

"I'm the smartest…" Jasper winked an eye at Ella.

Ella smiled. She had to admit the boys were funny.

"Don't listen, they love to brag." Bella sat next to her. "You know who I am, don't you?"

Since Carlisle and Esme's memories belonged to her, Ella was able to see how the girl who was Charlie's daughter became a Cullen. Her parents had loved Bella like one of their children, ever since they learnt how much she meant to Edward, and Ella knew Bella had played a major role in keeping her safe.

"Your dad looked after me." Ella beamed. She was surprised to recognize it.

"Your dad did the same for me." Bella confided. "Aren't they awesome dads?"

Bella took Ella's hand in hers. The little girl felt more than welcomed into the family. "It's strange." She said. "I feel like I've always known you," She looked at everyone. "But I couldn't remember any of you before."

"It must be because you can see Mom and Dad's experiences." Edward looked at his parents. "I wonder how far it can reach." He got closer to Ella. "Can I ask you something?" He squatted before the little girl.

Ella nodded. "Yes."

"Can you tell me what were mom and dad doing at the motel before Bella and I arrived earlier today?" He smiled a little.

"Edward!" Esme told him off.

"I'm trying to figure out something important." Edward explained. "Can you see anything, Ella?"

Ella looked puzzled. She stared at her parents before looking at Edward. All her little mind could see was an image of Carlisle and Esme playing chess on a bed.

"I don't know." She shrugged. "Were they playing chess?"

"Great." Edward smiled, satisfied. "She isn't able to see what you don't want her to see." He told them. "You can unconsciously block her out from some of your reminiscences."

"I'd be more concerned about her power and the fact that she can't control it." Rosalie sat next to Ella, too. "We won't be able to defend ourselves if the Volturi come." She stroked the little girl's hair with tenderness.

Ella looked down at her palms. She had a power; a special ability that made her unique not only among humans, but among the ones of her kind.

No explanations had to be given, and there were no questions to be asked. Ella knew the difficult circumstances that surrounded her arrival into the world, and that there was an impending threat on the family because of it. It was the reason why they kept her away from them, and the reason why the family was deeply concerned.

She suddenly felt an awful weight of guilt and deception. Her presence was putting her family in danger.

"Let's not talk about it now, Rose." Edward sensed Ella's sudden gloom. "I've got something for you." He smiled at the little girl. "Come with me." He walked out of the study.

The family exchanged glances before following Edward into the living room.

He sat before the grand piano, and almost immediately his fingers began to dance softly across the keys. The notes of a familiar melody began to fill the air.

It was a beautiful piece Edward had composed almost a century ago.

After witnessing the unconditional devotion Carlisle and Esme had for each other, he created an unnamed tribute to their love; their song.

Quietly, Ella stood by the piano. She could recognize the sweet, harmonious composition.

"You can sit next to me if you want." Edward smiled.

Ella moved to sit next to him, and as soon as she did, she was pulled into a different world. She was having a vision of her momma, but she looked different.

Time was different.

Esme and Edward were in a large living room, in a different house. The furniture was old-fashioned, and a sunset was setting, painting the room in shades of gold; shades of a cherished past.

They were sitting at an old piano, the way Ella was sitting with Edward.

His fingers were playing the same melody, but it was incomplete.

"But you love him." Edward told Esme. He stopped playing.

Esme looked at him wide-eyed, as Carlisle's presence was approaching. Almost immediately, she placed a finger on the boy's lips. "Please, you promised not to tell."

Edward smiled. "You know I won't." He continued playing.

Carlisle entered the room, and timidly walked towards the piano.

Ella could feel her father's uneasiness; he was holding a purple tulip. Softly, he crouched by Esme's side.

"Did you…" He paused. "Did you place this flower on my desk?" He asked, wishing hard it hadn't been Edward and one of his usual pranks.

Esme looked absolutely intimidated by the look in his eyes.

"Yes." She blurted out, swallowing hard.

Carlisle looked down to the carpet beneath him.

Their attitudes were something Edward couldn't understand, until he reached their minds. He smiled, and continued composing the melody.

Carlisle's empty hand brought another flower from under his sweater.

A Primrose.

A pure, beautiful flower he offered to Esme in return.

She smiled softly, taking the flower with delicate care.

As the memory vanished, Ella suddenly understood.

"They talked to each other through flowers?" The little girl asked in awe, before turning to look at her parents.

They smiled at her while embracing each other.

"They did." Edward chuckled. "Each flower had a meaning …which you can Google."

Ella giggled. "It needs a name." She pointed out. "The melody has no name."

"It does need one. That's why I called you." Edward leaned a little to whisper into her ear. "Why don't you choose one?"

The little girl beamed.

**o)O(o**

The veil of the night covered Forks quickly. The moon was unusually low but beautifully bright that night. Its light shimmered on the snowy forest.

"The moon is challenging the shadows." Renesmee observed as she looked out the window of Edward's old bedroom.

Ever since Edward and Bella had moved into their small cottage in the forest, his bedroom was decorated to welcome Renesmee to sleep whenever she wanted. That night, it became Ella's bedroom.

"Is that a metaphor?" Ella's eyes remained glued on the beautiful scenery outside.

Nessie smiled, "You said that just like Grandpa."

Ella smiled a little. It felt good to be with her family; it felt natural, but her heart was carrying the guilt of putting them in a dangerous position.

"They are afraid." Her smile faded and her thoughts went to her family downstairs.

Out of the nine family members, five had lost their abilities and were reduced to a human-like state because of her touch.

"What is it about me that makes you all lose your abilities?"

"It's your gift." Nessie shrugged. "We all have one."

"My gift is to take away everyone else's gifts." Ella spoke softly. "Stealing isn't nice."

Nessie gave her a reassuring smile. "You'll learn how to keep it under control someday."

A crack outside made the girls turn their faces to look out the window again. To their surprise; standing in the middle of the garden was the slim, delicate figure of a woman hidden under a black velvet cloak.

Her hands moved to uncover her head, and the most stunning waves of fiery red hair fell across her shoulders. The woman remained standing there, staring at them with piercing red colored eyes.

She nodded gently, and as if by magic, the windows slowly opened.

**o)O(o**

Bella stared her complexion on the mirror. "This is so bizarre." She looked like her old human self, even though she was still a vampire. Ella's touch had changed her.

"It's amazing." Rosalie admitted, standing by Bella's side.

"It's not like you've been transformed into a couple of aliens." Emmett snorted. "Beautiful aliens..." He quickly added when Bella shot him a glance.

"I can't protect my own child." Carlisle whispered in angst. Esme leaned onto him.

The look on his face was one of desolation.

"That's not true," Alice interrupted. "You've got us."

"It wouldn't be fair to put all of you in danger again." Carlisle paced thoughtfully.

"That's what families are for - together in good times and bad times." Edward tried to ease his parents' worries.

All of a sudden, an alarming sense of danger enveloped the ones who still held their abilities. Emmett, Jasper and Edward shared looks of trepidation, before their instincts rushed them upstairs to Edward's bedroom.

The girls weren't there anymore, but the windows were wide open.

Frantic, they jumped out of the window and ran into the forest, desperately tracing the children.

Soon, they arrived at the familiar meadow. It was all covered in snow, just like the day years ago, when they confronted the Volturi. The obscure figure of the woman who had taken Renesmee and Ella was standing not so far away from them.

The girls were with her.

Esme and Bella's hearts shrank with worry when they saw a small group of vampires walking into the scene, joining the woman.

The Volturi.

Jane, followed by Alec, Dimitri, and Felix stood with insolence before them.

"Don't move." Carlisle commanded, grabbing Esme's hand tightly.

Edward moved closer to Bella, as the rest of the Cullens stood in a defensive line.

The mysterious woman stared at Carlisle, before taking a step back, submitting the young girls to the Volturi's mercy.

That's when Renesmee looked deeply into her father's eyes.

It was fortunate Edward was still able to read minds. He gave Nessie a subtle nod.

Carlisle and Esme noticed the discreet exchange.

"We meet again." Jane suddenly approached Carlisle. "But under different circumstances."

Carlisle clenched his jaw. His gaze was defiant, but he didn't say a word. Provoking Jane would be unwise given the circumstances.

"You don't need to speak to them." The woman under the cloak interrupted. "What Aro has been looking for for centuries is here."

The vampire extended her palm to present Ella.

"She was conceived under the effects of the seedlings he's been looking for."

Jane tilted her head to the side, studying Ella. "Was she?" She couldn't savor a scent of blood in the child. She wasn't human. Confident, she approached the girl. "Does she possess any ability?"

"None, whatsoever." The woman lied. "Just like her parents."

The Cullens witnessed the scene with perplexity. Who was this woman, and what was she pretending?

"Of course…" Jane smiled at the Cullens. They couldn't do any harm to her now that she had in her power their most precious possessions; Renesmee and Ella. The next task on Jane's list was to kill the witch as Aro instructed, but first Jane needed to savor her revenge. This wasn't about what Aro wished anymore; it was personal. The Cullens had shamed the Volturi the last time they met.

She was going to take the Cullen children with her, but not without infringing agony on the family who had humiliated her coven.

She focused on Ella with menacing eyes.

"No!" Esme tried to release herself from Carlisle's grasp.

In matter of seconds, a blow of discomfort hit the little girl. But Ella didn't shrink in pain as expected; instead the natural defenses of her unusual ability pushed away the force Jane was trying to inflict on her, reverting it against the vampire.

The reversion was so intense, that not only it blew Jane unconscious, a few meters across the meadow, but also the rest of the Volturi.

"Go to your family." The woman under the cloak urged the girls. "Now."

Renesmee and Ella ran to the safety of their parents' arms.

Esme embraced her child desperately, and Carlisle immediately held them close.

"She said I would defeat them." Ella told them. "I think I did!"

"Dad," Renesmee jumped into Edward's arms. "They'll never return to bother us again."

Suddenly, the mysterious woman lit a torch of an unusual bluish color, and tossed it onto the helpless Volturi.

Her eyes looked cold; despicable.

"She's not going to hurt us." Edward spoke, reading the woman's thoughts. "But she's seeking revenge."

The Cullens took a few steps back for safety.

A pyre of blue enveloped the Volturi quickly. One of the weak vampires, who regained his consciousness, tried in vain to escape. Felix dragged himself out of the flames, gasping for life. The woman followed him. "You go tell Aro what you've seen; tell him that Dydime has returned."

Felix managed to escape, but not as fast as a vampire could. Ella's blow had taken away his skills. He was human-like now.

The witch stood before the magnificent pyre, and covered her head with the cloak again.

"You set us up." Carlisle confronted her in the distance.

Didyme turned to look at him. There was shame in her eyes, but the satisfaction of being able to bring the Volturi down was worth it all. "It was meant to happen."

Stunned, Esme suddenly recognized her. She was the gypsy - the old woman who showed her gratitude by offering the peculiar meal of herbs. She looked younger than the last time Esme saw her.

"Why us?" Esme questioned her. "Why did you choose me?"

"Because you are the only ones who know what true love and sacrifice is." The witch began to pace around the fire. "I have nothing else to add than ask for forgiveness and accept your appreciation." She stopped walking to look at Edward, as if asking something.

"He still thinks about you." He told her, "Constantly."

Didyme gave him a sad smile but soon composed herself. "If I were you I'd leave before they wake up."

The intensity of the blue flames began to diminish. The Volturi could be seen, unharmed, but lying unconscious on the snow. The strange fire hadn't consumed them.

"Her power is irreversible when it's defensive." She looked at Ella. "Once they wake up, they'll have human attributes for the eternity. Aro isn't going to appreciate them the way he used to."

"You won't be back in school on Monday, right?" Ella asked out of the blue.

Didyme smiled. "I don't think you will return either. This is the last time you'll probably see me, but not the last time you'll hear about me." She began to walk towards the forest. "Goodbye." She turned around and walked into the shadows of two leafy pines, disappearing from their sight.

"She is Marcus' wife." Edward spoke, placing Renesmee on the ground. "She was murdered hundreds of years ago, or that's what everyone thought." He began to walk towards the Volturi. Emmett and Jasper followed him.

"Who attempted to murder her?" Esme inquired.

"Aro." Edward confirmed Carlisle's worries. "Aro attempted to murder his own sister. I saw it in her mind."

Carlisle sighed, it didn't surprise him anymore. "Are you alright?" He asked Ella, who gave him a twinkly smile.

She nodded. "She was my teacher, Dad."

"Not to offend, but your teacher is really creepy." Emmett gave Dimitri a soft kick, but the vampire didn't move. They were truly knocked out.

**o)O(o**

Ella woke up feeling dizzy and disoriented.

The day was incredibly sunny, and bright for her golden colored eyes.

She pushed the covers away and stepped onto the warm, cozy carpet. Her bare feet moved to the large window, through which the sun streamed in uninvited.

She rubbed her eyes before looking outside.

The sun was shimmering on the white snow, and it reflected on her skin as well. The thousands of tiny diamonds gleaming in her skin didn't make her feel awkward anymore. She didn't have to hide, or shield herself in winter clothes from head to toe in order to conceal them.

She smiled, looking around her. It was because she was home. It hadn't been a dream.

Excited, Ella gave a happy jump before deciding to go look for Mom and Dad. She turned around, ready to rush out of the bedroom, when she noticed they were already in the room with her.

Carlisle and Esme were fast asleep, snuggled against each other, on a comfy futon across the bedroom.

Touched and surprised, Ella approached them without a sound.

As she moved across the bedroom, the world suddenly changed. Another vision of her parents' long past touched her mind.

Edward was playing their melody again, and it echoed in the rooms of that old house. She saw her momma moving carefully towards a door. Esme was vigilant, discreet, and about to do something inappropriate for a woman during those times.

Whilst Edward's notes kept Carlisle distracted in the music room, she was about to intrude his bedroom.

Hesitant at first, but pulled by the immense love she had for Carlisle, Esme stepped into the room.

She was immediately enveloped by his scent, his possessions; his world.

Everything in Carlisle's bedroom was in perfect order, and impeccably clean. Even though Carlisle didn't sleep, she could tell the bed had been recently made. She noticed he had placed there the linen sheets she'd hand washed for him a week ago.

Esme smiled; she recognized herself as a fool in love.

Carlisle and Edward's voices in the music room made Esme resume the plan that led to her intrusion.

With steps as soft as the touch of a feather, she moved closer to the bed, and quietly took out a flower she had hidden in the pocket of her apron.

It was a red tulip.

She placed it gently on the bed. The color and the passionate meaning it carried made a striking contrast against the silvery bedding.

In that second, she felt Carlisle's presence quickly approaching.

Esme panicked.

She wanted to jump out the window, but opening it would make a lot of noise. Soon, she found herself hiding in the wardrobe, between his clothes…and feeling like the silliest of all vampires in the whole world.

She heard Carlisle push the door open, enter the room, and everything became silent.

Even Edward had stopped playing.

Esme was sure Carlisle had seen the flower on the bed.

After a few eternal seconds, she heard his steps coming closer to her hiding place. Esme's face began to burn in embarrassment. She was completely sure that he knew she was in the wardrobe.

Thinking he was about to open the door, she closed her eyes, waiting for the inevitable.

But the inevitable never happened. Instead, she heard Carlisle walking away, rummaging a few things on his desk before leaving.

Completely ashamed, Esme opened the closet door to run away from that bedroom, but as soon as she stepped out, she saw a carnation with stunning red petals on the floor - right in front of the wardrobe.

Shocked, she picked up the flower.

Carlisle had left it for her.

She stormed out of the bedroom like a child, ready to go downstairs and out to the gardens to choose the next flower.

But she froze when she arrived at the top of the staircase.

Carlisle was at the end of it. He was looking at her; waiting for her.

Edward began to play the melody one more time. It was a soft, tender background, and Esme was sure it wasn't a coincidence he was precisely playing it then.

"I…" Carlisle stammered with his own words. "I love…I love you, Esme." He declared. "And I'm willing to love you for a thousand years and more, if you allow me."

Esme felt her her soul exploding into million pieces with the unexpected rush of emotions that Carlisle's forthright confession caused.

Slowly, he began to walk upstairs, and with each step, she began to feel extremely vulnerable.

His gaze was terribly entrancing. His eyes never left hers as he got closer, and by the time he finally stood a few inches away from her, she simply surrendered.

Esme only stared at him, ready to fall into his arms.

Carlisle's hand went to hold her waist, and he pulled her closer to him, seeking that long-desired kiss. Completely overwhelmed, Esme only managed to wrap her arms around his neck, and they touched each other's lips with a kiss that sealed the promise of eternal love.

Ella blinked before realizing she was still in her bedroom.

She felt as if she had watched a movie, and it was the most beautiful movie she had ever seen. She smiled at the sleepy figures of her parents and their beautiful story.

"A thousand years." She whispered to herself.

Carlisle snuggled against his wife, mumbling something unintelligible.

"A thousand years!" She gasped and sprinted out of the room.

Downstairs, Edward was already sitting at the piano, waiting for her. He had a pen in his hand. Ella went to stand by his side with a smile plastered on her face.

"That's the name of their song." She said.

Edward approved with a smile. "Write it." He handed her the pen, nodding towards the old music sheets that were lying on the grand piano.

"It'll last more than a thousand years." She wrote the name on the top of the first music sheet, with her best handwriting.

"You guys," Emmett stood by the glass doors of the terrace. Jasper was right behind him. "The Volturi were completely lost when they woke up, they're gone…" He bounced a snowball in his hand. "And it's time to celebrate Ella's return!"

"I wouldn't come into the house with that." Edward moved from his place on the piano.

Nessie walked out of the kitchen with a cup of cocoa for Ella.

"Good morning!" She placed the cup in Ella's hands. "Uh-oh…" She noticed Emmett had a snowball, and her dad was approaching him.

"Are you challenging me, Eddie?" Emmett began to step back; his hand was still playing with the threatening snowball.

"Don't call me Eddie." Edward poked him.

Ella and Nessie exchanged little laughs.

"Not in the house, not again!" Alice and Bella walked out of the kitchen, followed by Rosalie.

Upstairs in Ella's bedroom, Carlisle and Esme were aware of the imminent battle that was about to break hell loose downstairs. They didn't open their eyes; instead they snuggled against each other.

It began as a snow clash between Edward and Emmett, but ended as a fabulous battle in the backyard. Snowballs flew across the air from different points of the garden, towards any Cullen.

Carlisle and Esme remained at rest on the futon, both relaxed and loving the sound of happiness that was filling the house.

Laugher, love, and family.

The abrupt sound of a window pane crashing down onto the ground made their eyes open in a blink.

An awkward silence followed. No more sounds of happiness and joy could be heard.

Downstairs, the Cullen kids stared speechless at each other.

"How long until she comes downstairs to ground us all?" Emmett whispered, worried.

"Why _us all_?" Nessie interrupted. "You were the one who tossed it against the window pane. "It's always _you_."

"Your dad moved too fast!" Emmett said in self-defense.

"They're coming." Edward picked up Nessie and Ella with each of his arms. "Everyone, run!"

Like the naughtiest kids in the world, they ran across the snowy gardens, into the forest, leaving the backyard in complete silence.

Esme stood in the middle of the living room, watching them disappear in the distance. Pieces of glass laid on the immaculate carpet, along with smudges of snow.

Carlisle wound his arm around her waist. "They'll have to return. They always do."

Esme nestled her head on his chest. "I know."

"Meanwhile, we have the house for ourselves," He leaned over to whisper into her ear. "Do you want to play Hide and Seek? A young lady once taught me that a wardrobe is quite a good place to hide."

Esme laughed softly, burying herself in his embrace, surrendering herself to him once more. "As long as you hide with me…"

**THE END**

* * *

_I still have a closure piece pending for this crazy, corny story. Crossing fingers it'll be out next week._

_Thanks so much for reading and commenting! This was my first Twilight story, and even when it started with awful grammar mistakes, I learned a lot by writing it._

_Again, thanks and stay tuned for my other fanfic,__ 'Sweet Temptations'_


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